Love of a Lifetime
by kittyface27
Summary: When Marco goes to his high school reunion, he is unexpectedly reunited with someone he barely knew, but is very different than five years ago. But will their relationship be able to survive the publicity, because, after all, Marco is a famous celebrity and Ace is a young woman with a dark and controversial past. A very fluffy romance with lots of emotions and love.
1. An Unexpected Reunion

**Back with another fanfiction, only this is my first pairing for Ace and Marco. Also my first story with female!Ace. I'm nervous about posting it because I know it has a weak start, and I hope people will stick with it to see that it gets better. It's pure fluffy romance, but with some emotional angst. It's also my first story that is written purely from ONE person's perspective, which is Marco. Rated M for excessive mentions of suicide and depression. Implied sexual content but so brief it probably doesn't even count.**

**It's been a long time since I wrote a romance, so I hope I'm not too rusty. I've made this one had less chapters, but longer chapters. Please stick with it, it gets really cute. On the side is also Sabo/Koala and very light Luffy/Law. It's a very modern story, with lots of mention of social media, pop-culture, and such. Ace's narcolepsy has an emotional impact later. Lots of Pudding bashing.**

**Due to the long chapters, if anyone feels they are too long, I may consider shortening them. **

**Please enjoy~**

* * *

Marco wasn't at all looking forward to going to the five year high school reunion with two of his brothers. Now that he was famous, he knew many of his old friends and acquaintances would be after being his best friends. It had happened on Facebook, and he'd gone through his friend list, cleaning out the unwanted gold diggers who wanted to use their shared past to demand money.

The only reason he was even going was because Thatch and Izo wanted him to, and he hadn't gotten out of the apartment in awhile. The press had become frenzied after the announcement of his new movie. So, he wore a normal, casual, outfit as he headed inside the building.

It was Christmas break, so the school was empty from students for the returning ones after five long years. Well, long for some and short for others. His graduating class had been small, only a hundred or so, so he remembered many of them. The good and the bad.

He stood awkwardly near the table with food, Thatch pointing out everyone they used to hang out with, wondering where they were in life now, but not asking. Many of them looked quite different, either from losing or gaining weight, changing clothes, or not wearing the heavy makeup as adults anymore.

They both noticed many of the girls hadn't come. Well, the school had been mostly male, so maybe they just didn't want to deal with it as adults. Maybe they didn't forget the whole clothing debacles. Marco couldn't blame them.

He was surprised to see the Vinsmoke triplets, who were rich and their father was a strong political presence. He had always _hated _them. They were extremely disrespectful to others, especially women. Marco could remember they roofied drinks at high school parties, but never got caught or in trouble because of it.

Marco really wanted to stay clear of them, but with those crowding around him, it was expected they would come over.

"Hey, it's the big-shot celebrity," Niji teased, acting intoxicated despite the fact no alcohol was being served here. Marco just glared down at him, as he was taller. He said nothing, giving him a disgusted look as his presence shooed all of Marco's old classmates away. The man pushed himself up from the wall and walked away from the triplets and to his two brothers, who were having pleasant conversations with one of the vice principals. Marco approached them, ignoring the jeers from Yonji behind him, laughing at stupid things, like Marco's hair. It had changed from high school, but it helped him get his acting career, as he looked very distinguishable with it, though he had had to wear wigs sometimes, but only for the character.

"I wonder where that fat ass mope is," Marco heard Niji comment. It made Marco frown deeply. He wasn't surprised that girl hadn't shown up. Everyone had made that poor girl's life hell. He'd even heard she'd tried to commit suicide at the end of junior year and had been home schooled for senior year. She hadn't come for graduation, though she had gotten the diploma.

Marco remembered Ace well. She was extremely overweight and had acne, which had earned her bullying. It was a horrible sight, and Marco, the immature brat he'd been, hadn't helped her out at all until once near the end of junior year. They were both in a drama class together, and no one wanted to be her partner when it was their own choice. So, he gave up being Izo's partner and decided to volunteer to be Ace's.

It wasn't long after that that she stopped going to school, and no one had seen her since. It was really too bad, because she was a good actor when it was just her and Marco practicing. She was nice, too, if not terribly shy and riddled with anxiety. Marco hoped she was still alive and maybe having a better life than high school had been.

People had crowded around Marco again, though he didn't pay much attention to who they were, or what they were saying, though he was smiling politely. He looked to Thatch, wondering why he'd stopped talking to his old friend, who was also standing speechless.

"What's wrong Thatch?" Marco asked, gently pushing his way through the crowd around him.

"Who is _that?" _he asked, rudely pointing to the woman who just walked into the room with someone they remembered named Sabo. Marco didn't recognize her at all, though the blond man next to her was indeed familiar. He and Marco had competed with the two highest GPAs in the whole school, though it had been a friendly rivalry.

The woman with shoulder length black hair and splatters of freckles across her nose, cheeks, and shoulders, which were exposed slightly with the wide neck shirt. She and Sabo were at the food table, both going straight for the strawberries, and just standing against it, eating all of them.

The two joked a lot, though Marco didn't catch their conversations. He did see them both glare at the Vinsmokes, though the freckled woman looked at them in cold hate, Sabo was furious, his face bright red as he scowled at them.

The freckled woman looked away from them, as they stared at her like they couldn't tell who she was. She turned to the side, taking a big sip of punch, and then locked eyes with Marco, a grin stretching across her face. Marco's cheeks turned a little red at the smile directed at him. She tapped Sabo's shoulder, probably telling him she'd be right back as she gestured to Marco. Sabo smiled at him, too.

Marco had been friendly with Sabo, but he didn't understand why he would seem so happy to see him. The woman, much shorter than Marco, pushed her way through the crowd until she was standing in front of Marco.

"Hi, Marco. I just wanted to thank you for being nice to me in junior year. It was Mrs. Fennel's drama class, when you were super kind to me. So, thank you for that. And congratulations on your successful career. You always were a good actor," she said with a smile, and turned to walk away.

It took Marco a few seconds to register what she'd said, before he uncharacteristically shouted, "_Ace?!" _The room went quiet as they all turned to Marco, and then who he was looking at. Ace looked completely different! She'd lost at least 150 pounds, the acne was gone, showing her freckles, and she was wearing flattering clothes instead of the old, cheap stuff she'd wear that was much too big, even for her larger size.

The most different thing, though, was her confidence. She didn't spare a look for anyone as she headed to Sabo, looking like she couldn't feel the weight of everyone's stare. "Alright, I did what I came here for. You in the mood for some chinese food?" Ace asked as she talked with her brother, who wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they left the room.

"Holy crap, she's hot now," Thatch said in shock. Marco frowned at his words. Thatch had never been _mean _to Ace, but he had commented on her appearance, and had called her a loser around Marco. Teenagers were stupid, and Marco was sure Thatch wouldn't say things like that anymore. But still, just now talking about her in a nice way only because her appearance had changed?

But, she had become very beautiful. Her braces had made her teeth almost perfect, even if she had a single sharper canine. It was a unique smile, and Marco felt honored she'd given it to him.

-x-

Marco sat at home on his laptop, and typed in "Ace D. Portgas", her full name from the yearbook he'd referenced. He found her on facebook, but also YouTube and Instagram. He checked her Instagram first, and found she had a lot of pictures of her doing what looked like charity work.

She had over fifteen million followers, which impressed Marco. He scrolled down her page and saw some pictures of her, though most were just of her and her dog. It was a small brown terrier and Ace looked like she adored it. There weren't many photos, but she looked genuinely happy in all of them.

He saw in her information that she was a major member of an anti-bullying and mental health support organization, and had also written a best selling children's book. He followed that link and bought it on his kindle to read:

it was about a rose bud that wasn't blooming like all of her fellow rose buds. So it did all I could to make herself bloom, even trying to force the petals open. At the end, the rose was looking in it's reflection and thought that it was beautiful even without being a bloom. they it's petals opened and it was the biggest bloom of all.

Marco smiled at the story. It was a good children's book. He put the device down and turned back to his laptop, following the link to her YouTube channel, under the name _FireFistAce_. He was surprised by how many subscribers she had, and curiously wandered through her video playlists.

Most of them were her speaking to the camera, with titles like "High School Hell", "Losing Weight Is More Than a Choice", "Suicide", and a handful of light ones, one being titled, "I Swear My Cooking Doesn't Usually Suck Like This".

Marco clicked on that one first, not ready to hear about what she went through during high school through her point of view.

"Hi, everyone. So, last week I posted my confession about my attempt at suicide, so I thought I'd do a happier one this week. By the way, the feedback was amazing, and I'm glad my story helped some of you out. If you ever want to talk about your own problems, feel free to message me on Twitter and we can have a private talk. So, this was a request from my younger brother. He loves food, mostly meat, but he wanted a cake. For no reason, there is no celebration, but I'm going to try. So, if it sets the house on fire, blame my brother." Marco chuckled as she awkwardly made the cake.

"Is it supposed to be this color? Should I add more milk?" Ace wondered aloud, chocolate cake mix on her nose from wiping her face with her arm. "Nah, it'll be fine," she decided, and continued to bake the cake.

"Alright, time to bake it," she said as she put it in the oven. Her kitchen was really nice; Thatch would definitely approve. The video skipped to her pulling cake pans out and just staring at the burned cake.

"...It's not _that _bad. Besides, Luffy will eat anything." She very clearly was inexperienced with baking, as the frosting on the cake was just horrible. She had collapsed a side of the cake by accident, but just tried using the frosting as glue, which worked a bit.

"Okay, before I show the result, I'd like to show everyone some pictures," she said with a smile as he pulled up Pinterest photos of the worst decorated cakes Marco, and the audience, had ever seen. "Okay, now we can look at mine," Ace mumbled and brought the camera to her disaster. "So, it's not _that _bad. I really don't want this video to show me as horrible inept at cooking anything. I can make a mean microwaved canned soup. No, I'm just kidding, I cook my own food. You've seen my other videos." Marco chuckled.

She then cut a small piece of the cake out and looked uneasy as she tasted it in front of the camera. She grimaced. Apparently it didn't taste good at all. "Luffy! Your turn!" she shouted. A few seconds later a young man bounded into the room and sat where Ace sat, and inhaled the cake at an alarming pace. "How was it?"

"It was good!" Luffy cheered. Ace sighed and looked at the camera. "Told you he'd eat anything. Wanna do the outro?" she asked her brother, who Marco didn't know existed as he hadn't gone to their high school. Well, at least not when Marco was attending.

"Don't forget to like and subscribe. We really appreciate the feedback given to Ace's videos, and it means a lot to her. If you want, PM me and we can chat one-on-one, anytime. Bye!" and the video stopped.

Marco immediately sent it to Thatch, who would no doubt get a laugh at it. Marco scrolled to her other videos, and clicked on the one called "Suicide". It was a very recent video. He watched nervously, not knowing how he'd feel after watching it.

"Hey, everybody. So, I've talked about my bullying before, in detail, in my video called 'High School Hell'. You don't need to watch it to understand this video, as it is directly related. So, a brief recap: I was obese in high school, and my face was so littered with acne that you couldn't even see my freckles.

"High school has assholes, we all know that. But, in my high school, it was worse. I went to a small high school, on the outskirts of town, so my graduating class was very small, and had shared through junior high, though the bullying really started in high school. A lot of the kids in my class were rich, and my family was not. There were three guys, the meanest people you could ever think of, that mostly made my life hell.

"Because they were the popular kids, and had influence by their father's career status, no one stuck up for me. I was teased a lot for my weight, called a whale a lot. I had guys tease me about being pregnant because I was so fat, but then they added that no, I couldn't be pregnant because no one would have sex with someone as fat as me.

"I wasn't interested in or ready for any sort of relationship, but it did hurt. It was the end of junior year when things hit rock bottom. And I hit rock bottom _hard," _she said. "There was one guy who was nice to me, in my drama class. He's famous now, but I'm not gonna say his name for privacy reasons. He was nice to me, though it was probably pity, but I was grateful for it." Marco smiled sadly. He hadn't been nice to her out of pity, he'd been nice to her because she deserved it, and was a nice girl.

"But, that didn't stop the oncoming storm after my dog died. He was an unofficial anxiety support dog, since I had crippling anxiety since a young age, and I hadn't been taking medication at that time due to my parents' religious beliefs," Ace said harshly, obviously not having a good relationship with them.

"When ChouChou died, I spiraled out of control. I felt there was nothing to live for, and I turned to alcohol, though that didn't last long. Even if I wanted to drown myself in booze, it just didn't taste good, and I hated the throwing up. Now, I know that depression and alcohol are a deadly mix, and will never be a heavy drinker again, except for wine sometimes. I know, sounds stupid I'd only drink wine, but whatever.

"Anyways, my parents didn't help me much, but my brothers did try. Love you guys. Even so, I decided I'd end it, and kill myself. I was dead serious about it, too. I formed a plan, a stupid one for multiple reasons. I didn't want to hurt, so I couldn't cut myself, but I didn't have access to a gun and I chickened out with the pills. It was a good thing I didn't go that way, because I have no doubt I'd be dead by now.

"I decided to hang myself. I had a ladder, and my house at the time had high rafters, that I tied the rope around. So, I learned how to make the noose knot, but when I was about to do it, I slipped off the ladder at the wrong moment, and landed on the ground, shattering my knee. Obviously, I was unable to get back on the ladder to do what I had wanted to," Ace explained calmly, though she had a sad look on her face. Marco was horrified by the story, but there was more.

"My brother found me then, and knew just by the scene what I was doing. I got rushed to a hospital for my knee and then a mental institution, as in the regular hospital I grabbed a pair of scissors and almost cut my throat. After all, I wanted to die as soon as possible." Marco had trouble continuing watching and listening to her story, but she was brave enough to post it, so he wasn't going to stop watching right in the middle.

"Going to the mental hospital saved me, as I met other people with the same problems, many who had worse lives than I did. I lost my dog and was bullied, but I shouldn't have wanted to die from just that. So, I missed all of senior year, which was good for me, as I didn't get bullied anymore.

"I had no friends to miss, and my brother opted to be homeschooled with me. That year was the year my parents stepped up, so my mom adjusted her job so she could take care of me. Falling off that damn ladder and breaking my leg was what saved me. I even still have the cast. I know that's kind of silly.

"After I got better and graduated, without attending graduation, I started taking better care of myself. I had already lost some weight at the facility, but I dropped seventy more pounds, the healthy way, and my acne cleared up once I finally started washing my face. I became much more confident in myself, and college is honestly so much better than high school, if you focus on the school itself and not partying. Though, to each her own. So, now I'm happy. Sorry it was a downer, but I did put a warning in the beginning. If anyone wants to talk with me in private, find me on Twitter.

"Well, that's all folks. Thanks for watching, and make sure to like and subscribe, as it makes me happy and helps pays the bills and such. Have a nice day!" and she blew a kiss to the camera before turning it off.

Marco was lost in his thoughts for a long time, and going to bed wasn't easy. He hadn't known what Ace was going through, and he wished he had so he could have been her friend, insted of just a classmate he was nice to _fucking ONCE. _

Ace seemed like a really nice woman. She seemed like she wasn't shallow, was successful and charismatic, along with the fact she had a sense of humor. He wished he could have talked to her more at the reunion, but could see why she had wanted to leave early. After all, people gave her hell those years ago.

-x-

The next morning, Marco had a phone notification from YouTube, as he had subscribed to Ace's channel. Watching it was the first thing he'd done that day, as it was the weekend and he had just finished shooting his newest movie. He was glad to have a break until the talk shows and red carpet screenings came up after the movie was released.

The video was called "High School Reunion". It was relatively short, but then Ace hadn't been there long. Just to thank Marco, eat some strawberries and then leave.

"Hey everybody, so I did it. I went to my high school reunion. People mostly seemed the same to me. Same assholes, same nice guy, same gossipy girls, though this time they were swarming the poor celebrity who just wanted to see his old friends. I talked to him and thanked him for being nice that time. Me and Sabo ate almost all of the strawberries. Such public menaces." Marco chuckled.

"I'm ashamed to say I almost didn't go. didn't want to see the assholes that helped ruin teenage me. Luffy and Sabo talked me into it. But, when I was there, I didn't care about the rich assholes. I just ate some food, thanked someone for their kindness, and then left. It went better than I could hope for, and no one recognized me until the end as I was leaving. I didn't really want to hear everyone saying things like, 'Oh wow, she got hot' or some stupid fat 'jokes'. So, right after, me and Sabo went to our favorite Chinese restaurant. And that was it. I'm glad I went, even though nothing really happened.

"You've probably all seen my before and after pics so it's quite understandable that no one recognized me, and maybe that was a good thing. Anyways, I'll be at Barnes and Noble at three doing the book signings. Bring your kids, I'd love to personally leave them some notes if they want signatures on my book. Bye!"

Once the video was over, Marco got a text from Thatch. He had watched the baking video. _She baked the cake for too long and didn't mix it properly. Definitely not a baker lol. _

_I watched some of her other videos. Makes me feel like crap about what she went through during high school. _

_:( Yeah, it was pretty mean how everyone treated her. And I feel bad about calling her a loser sometimes... _

_At least she never heard you say it. She wrote a children's book, it was really sweet. Doing a book signing at the bookstore today._

_:0 Are you going?_

_Maybe. Idk. _

_OOOOOOHHHHHHH. _

_Shut up. _

-x-

Marco pulled into the book store parking lot in his more conspicuous car, wearing a baseball hat and some sunglasses. He didn't want to cause a problem for Ace and have her book signing overrun by the media and fans.

There was a nice amount of people in the store. It was four now, as he didn't want to get there when it would be the busiest. He put his hands in his jacket pockets and walked through the parking lot to the front doors, and tried his best to blend in. but, that didn't work since he was one of the only men in this area of the store. It was mostly girls of every age and appearance.

Ace was sitting at a desk and signing books, though most of those buying them weren't children. Most likely Ace's fans and followers. She had a bright smile on the whole time, with everyone she talked with. Many times, she'd stand up from the table and take a photo with whoever asked.

Marco couldn't help but feel a little jealous. He didn't have fans like all of these girls. Most of his fans were fans because of his appearance. These girls had an emotional tie to Ace, even if many of them had never met.

In each book she signed, she wrote a long paragraph. It was taking a long time for everyone to get to meet her, but no one seemed impatient. It was the weekend, over winter break, too. Marco smiled when he saw three young girls standing at the table, where Ace was teaching them how to make easy origami flowers out of fliers. The girls' mom was watching with a smile.

Marco discreetly passed the flock and headed towards the Starbucks tucked away in the corner of the store. He drank some tea and was on his phone, waiting for the crowd to die down so he could _maybe_ go say hi to her. He didn't know what else he would say, as Ace probably wouldn't appreciate pity after all these years. Maybe he'd assured her he hadn't been kind out of pity.

Eventually, Ace entered the coffee shop area and ordered an espresso, and waited while looking at all of the shelves' products. Marco watched discreetly from under his baseball cap. When she got her drink, she almost walked right past him. But, then she somehow recognized him.

"Marc?" she asked, understanding he was undercover, and was not going to help get it blown. "Fancy seeing you here…" she said, though she sounded like she had a feeling he was there because she was there.

He choked on his tea, and coughed embarrassingly.

"Are you okay?" she asked in amused concern. He nodded his head. "You are here because I'm here, aren't you?" But she didn't sound upset.

"Ah, yeah. I just wanted to tell you that I wasn't nice to you out of pity. Yeah, I watched some of your videos. They're very well shot," Marco said conversationally. Ace's face grew a bit pink at the mention of her videos, but she shook it off.

"I hope you didn't see my cake one," she replied lightly. Marco smiled.

"That was actually the first one I watched," he said with a chuckle. She put her hand to her face.

She asked if she could sit across from him and did so when he said she could. "Well, then I expect I won't be making a cake for you. Your brother liked to cook, didn't he? Bet he would be embarrassed for me. It was a fail, but at least Luffy ate it," Ace commented conversationally, taking a sip of her drink.

"He thought it was funny," Marco replied truthfully. "You seem very different than in high school. And not just because you lost weight," he said quickly, not wanting to sound like that's all that changed. "You just seem a lot more confident and happy."

Ace smiled and nodded. "Growing up did well for me. Gave me perspective. I'm happy your life since I last saw you has been successful. Though, I wouldn't think it'd be very fun to go out in public in disguise," she teased lightheartedly. He had to give her that one. But, other than that, he wasn't bothered much by the paparazzi and usually went out with no disguise.

"I didn't want to mess up your book signing," he told her truthfully. "I wouldn't like it if someone else's fans ruined something of mine."

"Well, thank you. That was very considerate. So, what did you think of the reunion, see anyone you missed?" Ace asked conversationally, taking a sip of her cooling espresso. Marco thought for a moment.

"Well, a lot of people seemed to have changed, while others didn't at all. You weren't there long, but I can just tell you the Vinsmokes didn't change at all. Not that I think anyone expected them to, honestly," he replied. "I noticed how much Thatch had changed though. How his old friends seemed to have gone down in life. Not trying to be judgemental, but they made some mistakes in life and are paying for them. Too bad, since they were nice enough people. Though, almost everyone in high school is some sort of asshole. Thatch just took his life in a very different direction. He went to college, unlike his friends, and graduated from culinary school."

"I remember he would complain about the food at school being cheap and gross. Don't worry, I wasn't a stalker or anything. When you don't care about yourself, everyone else is much more interesting to pay attention to," Ace assured, not wanting to seem like she watched them all of the time, since Marco knew she didn't.

"Well, you also sat next to him in multiple classes over the years, so I don't think you were a stalker," Marco replied. "He was super surprised by how different you look. Everyone was." Ace shrugged, and said it wasn't surprising.

"I worked hard to change after I was discharged. I don't like my audience thinking they have to be conventionally beautiful to be happy, but I'm not gonna lie and say losing the weight didn't affect me. Especially since I was teased mostly for that, though I wish I hadn't cared so much about what they said, y'know? I'm a bit bummed I didn't get the stereotypical high school experience, with best friend sleepovers and such. But, I have my brothers and a couple good friends I met at the institution. It was a good place to build real friendships," Ace explained. Her drink was soon empty.

Marco admired how truthful and open she was being with her problems. He had thought it was one thing to tell the whole world other than people you know, but Ace seemed unbothered sharing anything about her past issues.

"That's good. Everyone needs friends. Though, my friends were and are mostly my brothers. Izo works with me, making the costumes for my movies," Marco said quietly, so no one would think too hard after hearing that and recognize Marco.

The two talked for over an hour, mostly about things happening in Marco's life, since he had watched videos and was told about Ace's. Marco even openly admitted he was insecure about some of his roles, which surprised both of them, and his face turned red after that.

"Don't worry, I won't tell your secret," Ace said kindly with a bright smile. It was getting later when they both decided to call it a day, since Ace's signing was done as all of the books like been sold out.

She did get stopped by a few girls on their way out, but didn't seem bothered at all, and just waved goodbye to Marco, saying it was nice talking to him. He blushed at the words and walked back to his car with a flaming face, as he heard Ace offer for the girls to go to the cafe to talk.

-x-

Marco drove home, a smile on his face the whole way. He lived in an apartment in the nicer side of town, the second to top floor, as he hadn't wanted a penthouse, even though it was a very nice one. His apartment was beautiful and perfectly furnished, but it didn't seem very warm. It was lonely, even though he tried his best to give it life. He had framed photos of the walls, trinkets from traveling on bookshelves that were full of all genres of books.

He had a comfy couch, one that didn't look like someone rich would have. He went to his kitchen to prepare some dinner, and grinned at remembering Ace's cooking video. He was sure even he could bake a better cake and not destroy it while decorating.

When he was straining the pasta, he got a message from Thatch. _Did you go to the book signing?_

Marco sighed. If he told Thatch the truth, that he'd talked with Ace for over an hour, he'd be teased mercilessly for liking her, even if they only just talked like old friends. But, he couldn't lie and say he didn't really enjoy it, and was a bit weirded out with how open and honest he was about himself with her, who was really a near stranger, despite going to school together for a couple years.

He would message Thatch back after he ate. Before he messaged his brother back, who was no doubt getting impatient, he went on Twitter to Ace's page, and immediately followed her. She had made a tweet asking for some questions that her fans might want her to address in her next video. Soon, it was bombarded with replies and comments. Ace would be doing a long video tomorrow.

_Yeah. She has a lot of fans, _Marco messaged back to Thatch. He wasn't surprised when he got a suggestive emoji.

_Ooooo. Did you talk to her at all?_

_Yeah. For a long time. She's really nice. I'm bummed we couldn't have been friends in high school, though she's completely different now. She congratulated you on your success as a cook, and even remembered how much you used to complain about the food back at school._

_Oooo… Do you like her?_

_Shut up. Just because I talk friendly with a woman doesn't mean I instantly like her like that._

_Sorry, sorry._

-x-

Marco hadn't really thought about the fact that he suddenly following a new account on Twitter would cause everyone to check her out. He just wanted to follow her stuff, but him doing that had her trending on Twitter the very next day. Marco was glad that, so far, it hadn't gotten her negative attention, like some of his crazy girl fans went after any woman Marco interacted with.

But, as far as Marco knew, no one had recognized him at the bookstore the day before, sitting with Ace and having coffee with her, which he was glad of. She had made a tweet, which he read.

_Wow, thank you for the attention everyone. Anyways, if you want to check out more of my videos on YouTube, you can see why MarcoNewgate followed me. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. For this week's video, I'll be taking questions and concerns anyone wants me to talk about. So, leave a question on Twitter and I'll address it in my next video. 3_

Marco hoped she could sift easily since she might get a lot of questions about why Marco followed her, who she was, what she "wanted with him". He assumed that wasn't the kinds of questions she welcomed.

It was no longer the weekend, so he went to work, which was just cleaning out set since the movie was done shooting. He was to go vacate his trailer, with the help of Thatch and Izo. When he met up with them at the place, he was prepared for the teasing. Izo eyed him with a knowing face the moment he arrived, which made him frown, but say nothing. Thatch, however, didn't beat around the bush and immediately asked him if he had a date with Ace.

"No, Thatch, I don't have a date with Ace. It wasn't like that, okay? I was curious, so I went to her book signing and we ended up talking for awhile," Marco said with a sigh, knowing Thatch wouldn't drop it, and would most likely pester him about it for awhile and get all of his siblings in on it, too.

"But, you followed her on Twitter," Izo pointed out as he folded clothes from Marco's small closet and put them in bags. Thatch was cleaning out the kitchen nook while Marco was gathering trash and old scripts that were laying across the table.

"And?" he prompted with a sigh.

"You barely follow anyone on Twitter," Izo replied immediately. Marco said nothing, as that was true. "Well, you haven't dated anyone in a long time, so maybe you just don't want anymore relationships," the crossdresser reasoned.

"Relationships with famous people cause drama, and a relationship with someone not famous will ruin their life," Marco replied as he tied a trash bag and set it outside the steps of the trailer. His brothers looked at him sadly. "Don't give me looks of pity, I like my career and life. Just wish I could have some more privacy, also people I like having more privacy."

He was silent the rest of the time, and the trailer was soon spotless and looked like no one had ever had any resident in it. The three then went to lunch, thankfully Thatch and Izo talking about other things. Mostly the reunion and their old friends. Marco tried to pay attention to the conversation, but was more distracted with everything they had said.

Despite having women throw themselves at him for being famous, he hadn't been in a relationship in over two years. His last break up had developed trust issues in him. She had destroyed his life for months after the break up. It had been inevitable, but the fall out had been explosive to say the least.

But, he had to admit, being in a good relationship felt good. It had been awhile for him, not since his first year of college, but she had ended up leaving him for someone else. He was on his phone, and noticed there was a notification on Twitter, which he wasn't used to as he didn't follow anyone active on the platform.

_For those wondering about MarcoNewgate following me, we met after five years at a high school reunion. I look much different, so he most likely looked me up curiously and followed after seeing my content. I didn't ask him to. Have a nice day. _

Marco was starting to feel bad for following her publicly, but he had a feeling it would annoy her if he were to take pity and unfollow her. She had handled much worse and gotten through it. He had no doubt this wouldn't be a big issue for her, but he was still worried it would cause her trouble.

Marco, Thatch and Izo were at a nondescript Chinese restaurant that was usually pretty empty, so they had no one flocking their table for pictures with Marco. His siblings had gotten used to it, and weren't bothered much by it anymore. It was the price to pay for being a successful actor, and the price of being one's brother.

"C'mon, Marco. Join the conversation," Thatch said. Marco looked up at them.

"Why? All you'll talk about is my nonexistent love life," Marco replied, turning his phone over so they wouldn't see he was looking at Ace's Twitter. Thatch frowned.

"You can't help us wanting you to be happy with someone. You're lonely, if you're not gonna be in a relationship, at least get a dog or cat," the cook replied in slight irritation. "We want you to be happy, be with someone good and kind. So far, Ace seems to fit the bill. I'm not gonna pretend I haven't watched some of her videos. Really, she seems like a nice girl," he insisted.

"I don't want to cause drama for someone nice. Ace is… really pretty. I don't want my crazed fans going after her. Besides, don't you think she's had enough drama in her life?" Marco reasoned. Thatch and Izo frowned. That was true.

"Still, I think you'd be a good couple! After all, you were like, the only nice one to her when she was having troubles," Thatch pointed out. Marco frowned at him.

"I wasn't being nice to her just to hold it up to her. 'Hey, I was nice to you once in high school, why don't you go on a date with me?' How does that sound? Think a lady would be happy with that?" Marco asked shortly. Thatch frowned.

"That's not how I meant it, Marco! I was just saying, it's not like she thinks your a bad guy. And you're not, okay? You're a really nice guy, and we know you'd treat her wonderfully, despite her past or anything she's been through. Besides, she could even help you with your self-esteem problems, right? That's like, her career now. Helping people with their secret problems."

Izo nodded in agreement. Marco just looked down. He didn't want to cause her problems, what didn't they understand about that? "You don't even know if she's single," Marco said.

"She is. Nowhere on her Instagram or Twitter does she say she's in a current relationship," Izo answered immediately. He had done his searching. "Please, just try and contact her or something."

"No," Marco refused. "If she contacts me, then fine, but I'm not gonna go after her. She deserves someone who won't bring her drama or privacy issues," he said in finality. Thatch and Izo both scowled, but didn't press it.

They brought Marco's things back to his home, going around the back way so he wasn't seen by a crowd of fans, as his Twitter situation, which really shouldn't be anything, had gotten journalists and fans wanting to ask him about it. He'd already been approached by some online.

He was shocked to see that Ace had messaged him once he got out of the shower and went to the living room to relax and try to take his mind off of her.

_Marco, you don't need to unfollow me due to drama with fans. I appreciate that you followed as it's gotten a lot of positive attention from people, and thank you for liking my stuff. I'm glad it didn't scare you off like it does a lot of people. :) Have a nice night. _

Marco groaned. Now he'd be thinking about that all night. But he responded, like the gentleman he was. _I was worried that some of my more rabid fans would harass you, but you've been through worse and triumphed. So, I won't unfollow you. _

He waited nervously for a reply, wondering if he shouldn't have brought up her old personal life.

_I'll be fine. Some fangirls won't be my undoing._

Marco smiled. _That's good. Have a nice evening._

_Likewise._

* * *

**The children's story part is a story I wrote in fourth grade. I hope someone enjoyed the chapter and will stick with it. I'm not sure if I'll be posting weekly or every two weeks. I guess it will depend on if anyone wants to continue reading it. **


	2. First Date(s)

Three days later, Marco got a call from Thatch. The brother had been pestering Marco for the past couple days after he let slip he had had a very short conversation with Ace, which had been a huge mistake. After that, Thatch just kept sending Marco more of Ace's more memorable videos. Like the one where she was talking to a little girl when a squirrel landed on her back, causing her to scream and drop her phone, shattering the screen.

She had sworn, only to turn bright red when she realized she's said "fuck" in front of a five year old. And she hadn't asked for the video to be taken down, as it was an accident and she was just glad the mother wasn't angry. It had made Marco laugh out loud. The blush with her freckles had been really cute, and it was then that he had vowed to stop watching the videos Thatch was sending.

He cursed how many videos were on Ace's channel. At least 120 of them in the last four years after she started it up after leaving the institution she'd been at for a couple months. Thatch, by the end of day four, had sent every single video to him, spamming his inbox. If the man wasn't his brother, Thatch would definitely be blocked by then.

"What is it now, Thatch?" Marco asked over the speakerphone as attempted to do something creative. It had been awhile since he hadn't been filming, and the free time he had was staggering. He would need to start looking for work again, even if he didn't need the money. He just liked being kept busy. Then, free days were so much more enjoyable.

"_I ran into someone at the gym," _he said in a teasing voice. Marco didn't need to guess why Thatch would call him about meeting someone at the gym unless it was a certain girl that he was obsessed with getting together with Marco. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I don't even need to ask who it was, do I?"

"_No, it's me,"_ he heard a female's voice over the phone. Ace. "_I just wanted to say hi. I recognized Thatch, after all his hair cut is quite memorable," _she joked.

"_It's better than Marco's,"_ Thatch argued.

"_They're both memorable," _Ace said peacefully, not wanting to get them in an argument or to take sides. Marco couldn't help but feel a bit down. Maybe he should have gone with Thatch to lunch like he'd asked. Then he could have talked with Ace… Then he pursed his lips.

He had decided not to pursue Ace. Even if he wanted to get to know her more - a lot more - and not just by watching her videos and reading about her online. She was very open when talking about herself on her social media and videos, but Marco would rather get to know her personally, if he even did decide to. But, again, he'd decided not to...

"_So, I invited her to come over and learn how to correctly bake a cake after that fiasco of a cooking video," _Thatch said, teasing Marco once again, knowing that his brother would want to come, but also knowing he really didn't want to cause trouble for Ace. "_Do you want to come, too? I'll ask Izo as well,_" Thatch added. What a manipulator he was.

But, it worked. "Alright, I'll come. What time?" he asked, trying his best not to sound eager to see Ace. He didn't want to offend her. It had been awhile since he was around women he might eventually like.

The last relationship he'd had was with a co-star of his first movie. He was new to the game, and had become a hit from that movie. After it had come out with great reviews, and Marco getting an award for his role, she had started to turn sour, and became possessive and manipulative.

Since then, he hadn't had a steady relationship again. Despite his charm, wealth, and handsome appearance, Marco was awkward when it came to women. He wasn't too trusting since he became famous. But, Ace seemed different. So far at least.

"_Well, I have to go home and shower and change," _Ace replied. "_But I shouldn't take long," _she added. "_Any time today is fine." _

"_I can pick you up, if you want? At two?" _Thatch said. "_Might not want paparazzi at your door if Marco picked you up." _Marco frowned, but knew that was reasonable.

"_Yeah, that's fine. Here's my address," _Ace said, and Marco assumed she wrote it down for Thatch. Sabo was going to drive her back and Thatch would pick her up. "_Can it be a chocolate cake?" _Thatch laughed on the other end.

"_Milk or dark?" _he asked. Ace replied milk, and Thatch said he'd pick up the ingredients on his way to pick her up.

"_Alright, Marco. Come to my house at two. Don't be late," _Thatch teased, knowing full well that Marco hated being late for anything, personal or professional.

"Okay," Marco grumbled, and hung up. He looked at the clock; it was 1:15. Forty five minutes of what? He was dressed, well maybe he should shower, too. And wear something nice. And bring drinks. Did Ace drink? No, in her video she said she didn't, except wine, but Marco didn't have any. And besides, it was in the middle of the afternoon, you don't drink this early. But, Marco didn't know if he should even offer wine. Then Ace would know he watched her videos.

But, she knew that already. Ugh, Marco didn't know what to think. He already knew a lot about her, but he felt it was cheating by watching her videos, though those were welcomed to anyone. Ace might know a lot about him due to his fame, though he really did his best to keep his private life separate.

He showered and dressed into the most casual, non-celebrity way. It was 1:30 when his door buzzed. He wondered who it was, as no one was supposed to be coming over and Thatch didn't say he was picking him up.

"Hello?"

"_Let me up, Marco. We need to talk," _Izo's voice said seriously. Marco wondered if something was wrong, so he immediately buzzed his brother in.

When he opened the front door to him, Izo was grinning. Well, looked like there was no big problem. The man looked his brother up and down. "You're wearing that?" he asked in a dead panned voice.

"Wh-what's wrong with it? This isn't a date or a party, Thatch is just going to bake a cake and we're probably all going to eat it," Marco said defensively. He felt he looked fine. They were just going to Thatch's house. Izo frowned at him and raised an eyebrow.

"What is the problem?" Marco asked angrily. "I look fine! I want to go in this, okay. Are you here to pick me up or just judge?"

"But, you look so average," Izo pointed out. Marco sighed. Just because he was a celebrity didn't mean he had to dress rich everywhere he went. Ace seemed perfectly fine with him while he was in the cheap disguise as a normal guy. He didn't like being famous sometimes because with that came this stigma that he should look better than everyone else since he had money and influence.

"It's not a date, and even if it was, I would want Ace to see me as a normal guy, not some rich dude who is above everyone else and can dress as expensive as he wants," Marco replied. He grabbed his jacket and put it on, heading to the front door. "Are we going now, or what?"

Izo sighed. "Yeah, we can go."

"Wait, I want to go to the Starbucks' drive through real quick," Marco added as they walked to Izo's car. It was a weekday, so there weren't too many people outside. He waved to the press outside, which was a very small amount today, and then he and Izo headed to the nearest Starbucks.

-x-

Marco walked with Izo into Thatch's house after he and Ace had already arrived, Marco holding the drink Ace had ordered the other day. She was on the couch, chewing on a candy cane, and smiled when the front door opened. She was wearing a purple sweater and some jeans, in her socks as Thatch didn't like shoes worn in the house. He was a neat freak, and not just about his kitchen.

"H-Hi, Ace," Marco said, and awkwardly walked to her, and handed her the drink. "I remembered what you ordered from the bookstore the other day," he explained as cooly as he could under Ace's gaze.

"Oh, thank you," she said in surprise. "It's a good thing I worked out today or I'd feel guilty about eating cake, candy and a Starbucks," she said conversationally, before opening the lid and sticking the candy cane in the drink. "Thatch is in the kitchen, getting things ready. He didn't want any help." She had an amused smile.

"Did he kick you out?" Marco asked with an amused grin, totally expecting it. Thatch never wanted people in his kitchen when he was cooking, and in the rare event someone would make something with him, the kitchen had to be set up _exactly_ as he wanted it.

"Yup."

"It's nice to see you, Ace," Izo said, pushing past Marco, who frowned momentarily before bringing his neutral face back. "We're really happy you could come." Marco nodded along.

"Well, you guys only invited me over so you could teach me how to bake a real cake, and not burn and totally destroy one. You saw my video, too, didn't you?" she asked with a knowing smile.

"Yes, I did. I didn't know you had a younger brother," Izo said as he and Ace walked back to the dining room. Thatch's house wasn't huge, but was a nice size to fit him and three guest rooms for his of Newgate children had large houses with many rooms so their many siblings could stay over if they wished. Izo and Marco were the exceptions, both living in apartments.

The biggest and most expensive room in the house was, predictably, the kitchen. Thatch was a professional chef, so of course he had the best appliances and largest refridgerator. He had all of the baking supplies out of the counter with the tools set up on the large island counter in the middle of the kitchen.

"Luffy was homeschooled his freshman year with me and Sabo during our senior. He went to Southside after all of us graduated, so none of you met him. Luckily for him, he was extremely popular and had tons of friends. He's a social butterfly," Ace explained between sips of her sweet espresso. "He's a sweet kid. All three of us are adopted, so that's none of us look similar."

She sat at the counter with Izo and Thatch while Marco leaned against the wall. "That's interesting. All of us are adopted, too, but I think that would be expected. You can't have fifteen children all by one person," Izo said.

Ace's jaw dropped. "You all have fourteen siblings?" The three brothers looked at her in confusion.

"You didn't know?" Thatch asked is disbelief. Surely she would have heard about the Newgate family, right? She shook her head.

"I never really paid attention to stuff like that in high school."

"But what about Marco? Surely you knew at least from other exposure that he has a big family," Izo said. Ace shook her head.

"I don't really keep up with mainstream celebrities. But I guess even I should have known that Marco had fourteen siblings. Didn't any of you ever get tired of each other? Did you all eat at a massive dining table for dinner? How did you have a house that could fit all of you?" Ace asked question after question.

Marco sat at the kitchen table a bit behind them and explained, "We didn't all live in the same house, as we're all different ages. Us three and Haruta, who lives in another state, are the youngest. Most everyone else had moved out, so we did live in a big house, but it didn't have to be big enough for all seventeen of us, counting Pops. But, the house we three grew up in was very large and had some smaller houses on the property for the others if they needed to come home for anything."

Ace nodded along. "I could never deal with having fifteen brothers. Two was hard enough."

"So, are we gonna bake or what?" Thatch asked with a grin. Ace downed the rest of her drink and set it down on the marble countertop.

"I burnt mine when I tried. What am I supposed to do?" she asked, walking over to wash her hands in the sink when Thatch told them all to. Thatch lead all of them through making the cake together, which was impressive to Marco. How he got three inexperienced bakers all working fluidly to make an acceptable cake without making a mess or having any big problems. He really was a head chef, and had them all running like a well-oiled machine.

None of them was more surprised than Ace, who had admitted she wasn't good at cooking with people other than Sabo. She had never cooked with anyone else, so not knowing what the other person was doing based on experience was different.

Marco caught Ace stick a finger into the batter mix before it was put in the pan to bake in the oven. She blushed when she noticed Marco see and laugh at it, and handed her the spoon so she could lick the chocolate mix off. "Thanks," Ace said before she licked the spoon clean and put it in the sink with the other supplies that were no longer in use.

"How long will this take, Thatch?" Izo asked as the four were in the living room, all in front of the large TV. Ace was sitting on the floor against the couch under a fluffy blanket.

"It'll take an hour to bake, and then some time to cool before we put the frosting on it," Thatch said as he turned the TV on. Marco was sitting on the couch a bit behind Ace, looking at her shoulder's freckles. They were really cute and endearing. He really wished he could have been friends with this Ace before. Maybe it would have helped her out of "high school hell". But, then again, those experiences had made her who she was.

Thatch was sitting next to Marco, and nudged his shoulder, wiggling his eyebrows in a teasing way. Marco shoved his shoulder, embarrassed about being caught staring at Ace. "So, Ace, what kind of movies do you watch at the theater?" Izo asked curiously, sitting on the lounge chair adjacent to the couch the other two men were sitting on.

"I mostly go to the movie theater for Marvel movies," Ace replied. Izo and Thatch smiled.

"So, you're a nerd?" Thatch asked with a grin. Ace nodded.

"Yeah. Me and Sabo especially," she replied. When she was asked what else she liked to watch, besides movies, she listed, "Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, Doctor Who, LOST in its early seasons. I used to watch The Walking Dead before the season they spent entirely on the train tracks. Then it got boring for me."

Marco wasn't a real fan of those shows, though he knew they were popular and many of his siblings liked to watch them. It looked like Ace could stomach a lot, considering the violence and gore in two of those shows. Marco had just never watched them, so maybe he would like them, he didn't know. Haruta had always wanted him to binge the shows with him, Izo and Thatch over vacations. Maybe he'd try them out…

"Ooh, you're a super nerd!" Thatch exclaimed, and then got into a conversation about the shows, with Izo sometimes interjecting. Marco felt excluded as he didn't know about anything they were talking about. He recognized some names, but that was it.

In the middle of a sentence, Ace's phone started ringing, and Thatch laughed loudly at the ringtone. It was the Pokemon opening from so long ago. Ace hurriedly answered it. "Hello?"

They could hear some frantic shouting on the other end, and suddenly, Ace shouted angrily, "What do you mean you lost the hamster?!" The three brothers listened and were as quiet as possible as they heard the voice on the other end more clearly.

"_I had the cage open just for a minute to put the water in, but then I got distracted by the microwave beeping and I came back a second later and he's gone!" _

Ace huffed. "Why the hell didn't you close to cage when you left the room?!"

"_I forgot! I can't find him, come help me looooook!"_

"What about Sabo? Ask him," Ace replied, not wanting to leave yet. But, when Luffy started frantically shouting about how his precious hamster was going to get lost and die and he'd find his skeleton someday behind his bed, she caved. "Okay, fine! Close your bedroom door and make sure Chopper can't get in. If he eats your hamster I'm never going to forgive you. I'll be there soon, don't start tossing furniture around or you might crush him," she said and hung up.

"Do you need a ride home?" Izo asked humorously. Ace nodded.

"I'd appreciate that," Ace sighed. "Once we find Luffy's hamster, I can come back over to finish the cake if you want," she offered.

Thatch nodded, though he couldn't go with them as he had to watch the cake and make sure the kitchen didn't catch on fire if he left with the other two. He wasn't stupid. But, he did have a question. "So, your ringtone is the Pokemon opening?" he asked with a laugh as Ace put her shoes back on and grabbed her purse.

"I have a ringtone for every person from their favorite fandom. Sabo's is the Game of Thrones opening," Ace replied, not embarrassed at all. Marco offered to come, quickly.

"Do you need help looking for Luffy's hamster?" he asked, but then backtracked. "If you don't want me to, I won't come in. I just thought it would be helpful, you know? I don't want to intrude on your privacy, or anything, so you don't have to feel pressured to let me in, promise," he rambled. Ace smiled, and said he could help if he wanted, but to not judge Ace's cleanliness based on her brother's bedroom.

"Okay, let's go," Izo said, ushering Ace out the front door. "We'll be back in a bit, Thatch," he called over his shoulder as they left the house and headed to Izo's car.

"You can sit in the front, if you want," Marco said politely, and opened the car door for her. She smiled and thanked him, sliding in and buckling the seat belt. It had been a long time since Marco had sat in the backseat of a car. He felt like a child, but didn't want to make Ace sit back there.

_Pokemon! It's you and me! I know it-_

"I'm on my way, Luffy. I'll be there in a little bit," Ace answered the phone.

"_Hurry!" _

"We're going as fast as we can. Just don't do anything. Surume isn't going to die, just stay calm, okay? I'll be there in a bit," she said kindly, making Marco smile. Ace was really nice it seemed. She gave the directions to Izo, who used his phone's GPS to find her apartment. When they arrived, Marco thought it was a nice place. Being in a busy city, it was always nice to live in an upstairs apartment with a gate. Marco would hate being a celebrity if he didn't have that luxury in his own apartment.

Ace was buzzed in by Luffy and the three took the elevator to the seventh floor and walked down the hall quickly and to a red door. Marco wondered why Ace's apartment was the only one they passed to have a red door.

Luffy opened the door the moment she knocked, and pulled Ace in, running to his bedroom. Marco felt a bit awkward being in Ace's home after only a couple days of seeing each other after six years of not. But, it was in the middle of the day and it wasn't like Ace was alone with him, so it shouldn't feel so uncomfortable. And at least it showed that she trusted him and Izo.

A little brown terrier ran over to Marco and Izo, jumping on them excitedly, happy to meet new people. Marco bent down and pet it before following where Ace and Luffy went. He did his best not to look around so much, but it was hard to ignore the nerdiness. All three siblings seemed to like figurines that were on bookshelves. The living room furniture looked extremely comfortable. It was a nice place, and had posters and photos on the walls.

Ace and Sabo's bedrooms were closed, and Marco and Izo immediately knew why Ace had told them not to judge her by her brother's room. While the rest of the apartment was clean and tidy, but still look lived in, Luffy's room was a mess. Clothes were thrown everywhere, and a variety of cereal boxes were by the bed.

There was also "Surume"s cage, which was pretty large for a single hamster. The two siblings we already digging around, and Marco and Izo started to look, too, making sure not to really disturb anything while searching.

It didn't take long for Marco to follow the sound of quiet crunching, and looked inside the Lucky Charms cereal box to find the fat orange hamster chewing on the cereal. He reached inside the bag and pulled the hamster out.

"Surume!" Luffy cheered, taking the hamster from Marco. He honestly didn't see why Luffy needed help looking. But, he had been freaked out, so maybe it was more emotional support to have his sister help him.

"Luffy, you need to clean your room. If it was clean, you wouldn't have lost Surume so easily. And don't leave the cage door open when you leave the room!" the sister scolded, hitting Luffy on the head.

Luffy rubbed the hamster against his face. Clearly, he really valued this pet. The four heard scratching on the closed bedroom door, the little terrier wanting to know what was happening inside the room. Ace turned around and opened the door, picking up her small dog and walking out. Marco turned away and walked out of the room as Luffy put Surume back into his large cage.

Izo had no shame as he looked around the apartment closer. "You three really are super nerds," he commented, looking at a shelf full of DVDs. They had all sorts of movies, and Izo specifically looked for any staring Marco. He found one, but it was one where he had a very minor role, as it was one of his first movies while he was still in college. They had every season of Doctor Who, since the very beginning.

"Yeah, and we're proud of it," Ace said, going to the kitchen and adding water to Chopper's water bowl.

"It's a really nice place, in a good part of the city," Marco commented.

Ace smiled. "Having two roomates to help pay rent and for food is helpful. Sabo is at work right now," she said. "Can we go back now? Sorry about the detour." Marco and Izo shook their heads.

"It's what good siblings do. Help each other when they need it," Izo replied as he walked back through the large apartment and to the front door. Ace looked out the kitchen window and looked surprised.

"Looks like you've been spotted," Ace said to Marco, pointing out of the window. Marco frowned. He'd completely forgotten to put on his disguise. It was just so distracting being with Ace. The fans were milling around in front of the main lobby door. "There's another way I can go and you two can pick me up behind the building," Ace offered. There was an underground garage for those who lived there.

"That sounds like the best plan," Izo said, unbothered by the fans that flocked Marco very often. Izo was used to it by now, and it got to show off his clothes, which was nice. He'd gotten attention for it and it was one of the reasons he was appointed costume designer for Marco's roles.

"Don't lose Surume again, Lu!" Ace shouted as they left the apartment. The three made their way down the elevator, Marco and Izo getting out on the ground floor while Ace continued to the underground parking she'd be picked up at in a few moments.

Marco walked with Izo out of the lobby and through the small crowd of people. He put the friendly smile on as he quickly signed autographs and walked away with Izo. He was thankful these fans didn't follow him.

Izo nudged Marco on the shoulder. "Ace seems like an ideal person," he said with a sly grin. Marco turned and frowned at him, but continued walking to Izo's car, both of them looping around the building and to the parking lot, picking up Ace, who was standing by the elevator doors.

She sat in the back this time, but didn't seem to mind. "So, Ace? What kind of hobbies do you have?" Izo asked conversationally. Ace answers immediately.

"Well, you've already seen how many books we have in the living room, cause me and Sabo love to read. I sometimes draw, but not as much as I used to. Writing stories is fun, not just that children's book that got published, but it's the only story I feel comfortable sharing with anyone else. I like going to the gym and running," Ace listed.

"Lately, Marco's been an exercise junkie. Eating crazy healthy, too," Izo said.

"Really?" Ace asked in surprise. Marco's cheeks turned red, embarrassed.

"Don't tell anyone else," Marco said quietly. He looked in the mirror to see Ace frowning.

"I won't tell other people what we say in private, so don't worry. And I won't be selling any used tissues, so don't worry about that either," Ace said seriously. Izo burst out into laughter. "Just saying I won't spill anything to press. You don't have to ask me to keep secrets. Just because I say mine doesn't mean I'll say others'," she insisted.

Marco smiled. "Okay, good. I've lost some 'friends' to them giving out private information to the press," he explained, feeling a bit guilty for telling Ace not to do that. But, it was just a precaution. "I didn't mean to offend you," he added quickly.

"It's fine, I understand why," she said, waving her hand dismissively.

When they reached Thatch's house, they could each smell the chocolate. The unfrosted cake was cooling on the island counter in the kitchen. Thatch was cleaning up the kitchen and getting the frosting bags ready.

"Did you find the hamster?" he asked after Izo let them in with his spare key.

"Yeah. He was in one of Luffy's cereal boxes," Ace said casually, getting a laugh from Thatch. It didn't take long for the cake to cool and Thatch was showing Ace how to effectively frost and not over do it and destroy the cake like she had in her video. "No one is ever gonna let me live that down," she mumbled when Izo referenced it again.

Marco smiled. "It was entertaining," he said and handed her a different cap when she asked for one. It took awhile for her to be happy with the result, as she was clearly a perfectionist, and then they ate it after Ace took a photo of it, proof that she could frost if she was shown how to do it right.

They sat at the kitchen bar counter and ate large chunks of the cake. The rest was put in a cake box for Ace to bring home to her brothers. "Luffy is gonna be so happy," Ace said when the cake was in the box. It was later now, getting closer to dinner time and it was Ace's turn to cook dinner, so she had to be driven home. She exchanged phone numbers with them.

"This was really fun," she said as they walked to the car. It was snowing out, their boots crunching on the ice. Marco and Thatch agreed.

Thatch drove her home and then Marco, who hadn't driven to Thatch's house, and Izo had to go to the pharmacy for some vitamins he was out of. Thatch drove her to the elevator in the underground parking, carrying the cake while she put her key in to open the elevator.

"Wait, Ace, I'll walk you up," Marco said. Ace agreed, even if it was only going up the elevator and then a few yards down the hallway. She carried to cake in both arms, as it was quite wide. But, it was for four people and then left overs. "Um… Do you wanna hang out again sometime?" Marco asked, cheeks pink. He had been talking himself into asking the whole car ride. He really enjoyed spending time with her. She was different than all the other women that tried to get him with them.

"A date?" Ace asked. Marco shrugged awkwardly.

"I-If you want. You don't have to if you don't want to," Marco replied quickly, both of them now standing in front of her red front door.

"Sure," Ace said with a smile. Marco grinned in relief and happiness, something he didn't do often. "Where were you thinking?"

"I-I don't know, I didn't really get that far ahead," Marco replied truthfully. Ace smiled and said she'd try and think of something. "Well, have a nice evening," Marco said politely with a smile.

"You, too," Ace said and went inside, closing and locking the door.

-x-

Marco sat on his couch in his apartment with Izo and Thatch, who were trying to come up with a good date location for Marco. Somewhere where there could be some privacy, and quiet. Marco would no doubt need to put on a disguise, but Ace hadn't seemed to really care much about it at the bookstore.

"I can't think of anywhere that would be memorable," Izo huffed. Thatch wanted to ask Haruta, but Marco told his brothers not to tell anyone about it. Not even the family. He didn't want them chasing Ace off, and that they were bad enough.

"Well, maybe Ace came up with somewhere," Thatch offered. It was only maybe ten minutes later that Marco got a buzz from a text message. From Ace. "Ooh, is that Ace?" Thatch asked, climbing onto the couch behind Marco to see.

_Do you have 48+ hours to spare? _It said. Then, a few seconds later, a photo arrived of every single MCU movie all in a row. Marco smiled. Well, it wasn't the kind of date he was thinking of, but a movie night would have the most privacy. Marco had a huge TV after all. He assumed they would have to break the "date" up into multiple days, of course. Even if they could stay awake over forty eight hours, Ace would probably not want to spend the night at Marco's place on the first date. It was already surprising enough she wanted it to be at his home.

_I'm open, _Marco replied.

_Good! What time tomorrow? _Marco thought starting early would be best, as the series was over two days long. He ignored his brothers as they pestered to know what Ace had said.

_How about noon? _he offered, shooing away Thatch's face from his phone screen.

_Sounds good. Sabo can drop me off if you give me the directions. _

Marco gave her directions to his apartment building, suddenly feeling very self-conscious about his living space. It didn't look as cozy or lived-in as Ace's place. He was sure if he had taken the penthouse floor, it would look even less homey since the penthouse had complete tile floors. And Marco liked being barefoot without freezing his feet off in the cold.

"Marco! What is she saying?!" Izo demanded angrily, not liking being ignored one bit. Marco sent the last text, telling her he'd meet her in the lobby of the apartment building.

"She's coming over tomorrow to have a movie marathon. That's all, are you happy? And _no, _you are not invited," Marco said harshly, fed up with the pestering and nosy attitudes. Thatch pouted and moaned in disappointment.

"C'mon, I'm the one who invited her to bake a cake and get all cozy," Thatch protested.

"Yeah, and who did you do that to set Ace up with? _Me. _I don't want any relationship that's completely bare to everyone, including my family. Alright? Stop pushing me on this or it's just gonna keep making me angry," Marco said in a sour voice. Izo sighed and Thatch flopped back onto the lounge chair to pout. They knew they were defeated. That Marco was right.

Thatch and Izo left later, after helping him clean his apartment, but also make it look more cozy. Like putting blankets on the couches to look like someone sat there a lot, or strategically placing books or magazines in places so the house looked like someone lived in it more.

"Tell us how it goes afterwards," Thatch begged.

Marco looked at him with his blank face. "I will tell you the jist. And if I find out _anyone _but you two know about this, I will not be happy. Understand?" He didn't want this leaking to the press, and especially not by his own family.

The actor knew that his family had been a problem with his last love interest. It was too big, and too loud and too familiar. Marco wanted a partner who loved his family, but he also knew that it was a _big _one. Fifteen brother in laws, some with their own families, too.

"Well, I sorta already sent Ace's entertaining videos to Haruta. Said she went to school with us. But that's it, I swear!" Thatch assured from the glare he got. The two took out the trash on their way out. "Good luck Marco!" Thatch called from the elevator, making Marco flush. He didn't want his neighbors to know about his date tomorrow. Hopefully, no one would see Ace come into his house.

He had relatively private neighbors, but Marco inviting a woman into his home could be quite the scoop if worded the right way. He hoped everything would go okay, and he wouldn't do or say something stupid.

-x-

Marco paced his apartment nervously. He hadn't been this nervous about anything in awhile, and it embarrassed him. He wasn't even this nervous before auditioning for a role. He didn't want to mess something up on his first chance.

He had woken up at eight and had been unable to go back to sleep, so for the next four hours, he was nervous, cleaning his already spotless apartment over and over. He checked out of his window often, too, as one whole wall of his home was a floor to ceiling window. Sabo would be dropping Ace off out front, where Ace would text and Marco would come down and get her.

At eleven, he growled and thumped his head against the window he was staring out of. He completely forgot about snacks, but now it was too late and he wasn't going to risk leaving and missing Ace to get food. He could always ask his brothers if need be, which would be embarrassing and he really didn't want to have to do that.

And he hoped Ace had lunch before coming, since Marco just had cereal (even if he was a millionaire). He was about to call Izo for help with getting food when he saw a silver car pull up to the front of the building and someone get out, waving goodbye to the driver. Marco watched as said person took out their phone, and _beep _went his phone.

_I'm here. What floor? _Marco was out of the apartment at light speed and hurrying down the hall and to the elevator. He was there quickly so he didn't have to text her back. She was waiting in the middle of the lobby, with a pizza box. Marco would have offered to pay for it. It almost made him frown, but then he got a good look at her.

Marco was wearing nice clothes, while Ace was wearing a sweater and some yoga pants with tennis shoes. Her hair was in a high ponytail. She was wearing comfortable clothes, and Marco suddenly realized that he was completely over dressed, in a nice button down shirt and black pants. They would be at his house, not in public at a nice restaurant.

She had a backpack on, which Marco assumed had all of the DVDs. "Hi, Marco. I brought lunch," Ace said with a grin, hurrying over to her date. Marco smiled at her and greeted her back, leading her to the elevator. Some of his neighbors saw them, but just smiled at him, and didn't take out any cameras, which Marco was grateful for.

He looked to the side at Ace again. She was so beautiful. When they were on Marco's floor, Ace said, "I was expecting you to have the penthouse apartment." Marco unlocked his front door, always locking it after he left, even if it was to go downstairs and get the mail. He didn't need someone breaking into his place while he was gone for five minutes.

"I didn't like the tile floor," Marco replied as he opened the door and nervously let her in. She looked around in curiosity at his home, looking out of the window wall. She found the kitchen and set the pizza down on the counter.

The apartment had all the latest electronics, and the TV was much bigger than the one at Ace's home. She looked around at all of the bookshelves, and the photos of Marco and his family. There was one large one that had all fifteen children and their adoptive father.

"That's one big family," Ace said. Marco agreed, saying sometimes it was stifling, but that it was nice there was always someone to talk to if need be. "I like your apartment. Especially the window-wall. But you don't have any curtains for it?" she asked curiously, surely people would look through the window at night.

"We can see out, but no one can see in. The window is tinted. It's very convenient, but there are shudders," Marco explained, and pressed a button on the wall that let down shudders from the ceiling. It was very fancy, and Marco hoped he didn't look like a super materialistic rich person with the latest tech. But, Ace gave off no indication that she was thinking that.

"That's nice. I asked Izo what your favorite pizza is, so it's pepperoni," Ace said conversationally, though she left the pizza in the kitchen and walked to the living room and pulled out all of the movies.

"You could have Googled it probably," Marco replied.

"I want to get to know you more in person and not on Google," Ace explained, making Marco's face turned a bit pink. "So, in order of release or chronological to the timeline?" she asked as she put all of the movies in order.

"How about chronological?" Marco asked, sitting on the couch behind her. She had taken off her shoes at the front door and had fluffy socks on. She really was dressing for comfort. Marco looked back down at his fancy clothes, and said, "I'm overdressed. I'll be right back," and went to his room to change.

When he came back out, Ace had put all of the movies in the correct order. First was the first Captain America movie. "Do you eat your food in the living room or in the dining room?" she asked, not knowing the way things were done in Marco's place.

"We can eat the pizza in the living room," he said as he went to the kitchen and got some plates and napkins, bringing the box of pizza over. Ace pulled out a water bottle from her bag, and handed Marco the DVD to put in his Blu ray player. Ace sat on the couch, which was very big compared to her small frame, and pulled the blanket strategically placed on the back of the couch and draped it over herself.

Marco had never had a first date at his house, so he didn't know how familiar to be. He sat a few feet from Ace, who then scooched over closer to him. He smiled lightly to himself as the movie played and the two ate the pizza. It actually meant a lot to Marco that Ace hadn't searched his favorite pizza online. It was something he didn't like, having all of his personal information available at the stroke of a keyboard. Ace could look up all of his past drama with his last partner, and he didn't want that, not that he had done anything wrong. He just didn't want to chase Ace away with how the press and fans might react to them having a relationship, which Marco really wanted.

By the time the movie was over, the pizza was all gone and both were full and satisfied. Once the end credits were over, Marco swapped Captain American with Captain Marvel. "Guess what I dressed up as last halloween?" Ace asked when Marco sat back down next to her.

"What?"

"Captain Marvel. There was a halloween party with one of my close friends, and it was superhero themed, so everyone had to dress up as a superhero. Luffy was Spiderman and Sabo was Iron Man. His poor costume got so hot and uncomfortable, since he'd gotten a really good quality one. Wanna see the pictures?" Ace offered as the previews played.

"Sure," Marco said with a smile. It sounded like a fun halloween themed party. Maybe his family should do that kind of thing sometime.

Ace went through the photos on her phone and showed Marco all of the pictures from the party. All three siblings had relatively good quality outfits. Ace had even had a blonde wig. Her hair looked better black. "Then, I had one of my fans photoshop this photo for me. She was really sweet to do that," Ace explained as she showed him a photo of the siblings again, only lights were coming from the right places of Sabo's Iron Man suit and Ace was surrounded by the light effects from the movie.

"That's really cool. I didn't dress up for last halloween," Marco admitted. Ace looked frankly horrified.

"How can you not dress up for halloween?" she asked in disbelief. Marco just shrugged and said, "It was just never a priority for me. Thatch and Izo really like doing that, but I don't." Ace frowned.

"Hmm. Well, you should dress up next year. It's really fun. And you can afford the good quality stuff, too," she pointed out. Marco nodded, though he didn't know if he was agreeing. He definitely would dress up with Ace if they were together then. A couples' dress up. He'd never done that. His last girlfriend wasn't really anything like Ace. She was the polar opposite of Ace, really.

And Marco liked that. The menu came up for the movie, and Ace put her phone back on the coffee table and relaxed back into the couch as the movie played.

Seven hours and three movies later, Marco and Ace were sitting at the bar counter, trying to figure out what to do about dinner, as Ace wanted to stay longer and watch more movies. They had skipped one of the movies as Ace didn't have it. It wasn't necessary to watch, so they skipped Hulk.

"We could order out at a restaurant and have it delivered," Marco offered. "I'll pay since you bought lunch." Ace agreed, and both of them were looking online to which restaurants they could order from.

"Can you imagine ordering McDonalds to come to your house?" Ace asked with a laugh.

"That would seem like a complete waste of money," Marco replied, and they finally settled on having Chiptole delivered.

"Do you order out to have delivered often?" Ace questioned curiously. It would make sense for someone famous to not want to leave the house a lot when he would get swamped by fans in public. That was why he was in disguise very often when leaving the house. Luckily, like Ace's apartment, there was a secluded and private parking lot, and he had two cars. One of them was reserved for when he was in disguise so no one could follow his car. It was a Honda to look less conspicuous.

"Not often, but when I do get take-out I order it," Marco answered. "Sometimes being famous is a curse," he confessed. "When I went to your book signing, I was jealous of your connection to your fans. My fans really only like me for my looks. You have a deeper connection to most of your fans, and talk to them directly." Ace smiled at the counter.

"I really love all my fans, and helping them. It would be fun to be a therapist some day. Or a counselor at a school. Part of me is grateful for what happened in high school, because it made me who I am today, and I'm happy with that. Five years ago I would have never expected to _ever_ say something like that."

"You're probably one of the strongest people I've ever met," Marco said sincerely, causing Ace's freckled cheeks to turn pink.

"I tried to kill myself," Ace mumbled. "I would be dead right now if I hadn't been so clumsy." Marco touched her hand and smiled at her.

"But look at you now."

"Thank you," she replied. "You're a good person. I'm glad I went to the reunion, and not just because of the free strawberries. Even if I had to see those assholes, I got to see you again and get in touch."

Marco's cheeks tinted a bit, but not as bright as Ace's, and she couldn't see the change in color from the dim lighting. "I almost didn't go. I only went with Thatch and Izo. Even if I had good friends and good grades, high school was bland for me. I liked college a lot more, and now I have a successful career, and it's awesome not having to worry about paying rent like in college."

"Yeah, college was my favorite, too. The good thing I found about college is no one cares if you are by yourself. In high school, I was embarrassed with not having any friends, but in college, it's fine to be by yourself and just stay in the library during breaks and read. People in college don't judge as much in high school.

"But, then again I wasn't fat anymore in college, so it could have been different if I still was," she added. "Well, I'll never let myself go like that again, so I'll never know."

"You'd still be beautiful even if you gained the weight back," Marco said casually as he got up to go to the fridge and get a glass of water. He was being completely truthful, not just trying to flatter her, even if that was a good thing anyways. Ace grinned and thanked him in a shy voice, one he hadn't heard yet.

"I don't understand how you're single, being such a nice gentleman," Ace commented as she was handed a glass of ice water, too. Marco shrugged and leaned against the counter across from his date.

"Just haven't found the right person. My last relationship didn't go too well," Marco answered truthfully. He wasn't going to lie to Ace. Even if he wasn't against lying, he wouldn't do so to someone who might someday be his partner. Hopefully.

Ace sipped the water and then asked, "Can I ask what happened?"

"Just a lot of celebrity drama. I feel like, looking back, we had nothing in common, and it wasn't like 'opposites attract' either. She was a co-worker for my first movie. I think I got into it too quickly, after being in a really good relationship in college until she left me for someone else." He scoffed. "After my career blew up, she messaged me back, asking to be my girlfriend again. But, luckily, I got over her, and wouldn't go back to someone who cheated and then left me for some other guy."

"So now you want the girl next door?" Ace asked with an amused smile. Marco flushed. You could say that, but Ace wasn't just the girl next door, though he did want someone who would love him for him and not his money. And so far, even just by Ace buying them pizza for lunch, she didn't seem like a "gold digger". Plus, she already had a profitable source of income. Marco would gladly buy things for her, but had a feeling she wouldn't want him spending tons of money on her, no matter how much he had.

"I guess, sorta? I want someone down-to-earth. I don't want someone who throws themselves at me for money and just looks. I… I know it might be hard to be in a relationship with a celebrity, but I like you, Ace. And I want to get to know you in person, too," Marco confessed, somehow knowing Ace wouldn't make him feel bad even if she did turn him down.

"Are you asking to go steady?" Marco licked his lips nervously and nodded. "Okay," she said with a smile. "Even if this the first date, I do like you a lot. And, even when I was fat and awkward, you were nice to me, so it's not just because I look better now."

The food came to the door, and they settled back to the couch to watch the next movie, sitting even closer now. They watched the movies until ten, when Sabo was called to come pick her up. Marco wasn't going to rush this anymore, and kissed her on the cheek on her way out, Sabo meeting her at the front door. He seemed to approve of this, even if he wasn't Ace's big brother, but the same age as her and adopted at the same time.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Marco," Ace said, leaving the movies with him since she'd go and watch them the next day, and the one after. Her weekly video wasn't ready yet, as she was still getting more questions for the Q&A she'd be doing for her next upload.

Marco flopped down on the couch with a wide grin on. He hoped he wasn't rushing things, really hoped so. He hadn't even meant to ask her today, but he just got so comfortable talking to her that he let it slip.

He picked up his phone from the arm of the couch and texted Izo and Thatch. _It went really good._

_What happened, what happened?! _Thatch replied. Izo hadn't answered before Marco texted back.

_We watched a couple of the movies. She bought pizza on her way here, and then we ordered out for dinner. _He didn't message about them going to be dating now. He was still in slight shock and didn't want to jinx it. He was excited to see her again tomorrow. But, he wouldn't make the relationship public for awhile. He just hoped Ace would be treated well by his fans and critics.

_Yay! She doesn't want you for your money!_

_Thatch, I don't think she ever did, _Izo replied. _I'm happy for you, Marco! Still don't tell anyone else? _

_Please, don't. _

_Maaannnnnn I want everyone to know already! _Thatch complained.

_NO. No telling anyone or I will have your head, _Marco sent.

_Fine, fine._

**I had a lot of fun with Luffy and Surume the hamster. I can just picture him being a terrible owner yet still miraculously keeping it alive. Review please!**


	3. Calm Days

**Kippysaurus: Thank you! We will be blessed with more of Surume and Luffy later.**

* * *

**Shorter chapter than the last one this time. Enjoy~**

* * *

The next day, Marco had gone out and gotten breakfast food to cook for lunch. He wanted Ace to know he didn't just order out every meal, even if he had told her he didn't. He texted her that he'd take care of the food today for lunch.

He had caught on with it and was wearing comfortable clothes for lounging around the apartment with her. When she was dropped off, again by Sabo, he met her in the lobby. She didn't have a backpack this time but a purse. The movies were still in the apartment.

When she walked in and took her shoes off, Marco did the same and lead her to the kitchen. "Are you cooking something?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah. I don't want you to think I only order out," Marco replied honestly. "Do you like eggs? How do you like them?" Marco cooked scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes. It was really nice having a big kitchen and a big stove that could cook many things at once. They ate the food at the bar counter.

"I haven't had homemade bacon in a really long time," Ace said as she ate the delicious food. "I mean, whenever I go to a breakfast restaurant with my brothers or friends, I make sure to get bacon. It's blasphemy to not get easy bacon at every chance." Marco chuckled.

He put his own remaining bacon on Ace's plate. "I'll cook for you anytime you want. I'm not nearly as versatile as Thatch, but he did manage to beat cooking skills into me." Ace smiled and accepted the bacon gratefully.

"I'll cook for you, too. There's this family recipe from my grandma, named, very creatively, 'grama ham'. I'll make it for you some time. It's really good. Everyone in my family can make it, except Luffy. Even though he's twenty, he acts like a kid and can't do a lot of grown up stuff, but we still love him," Ace said fondly.

Marco smiled. He'd like to get to know Ace's family better. He'd do this right. "How is his hamster?" Ace laughed.

"Well, considering Surume was eating Lucky Charms marshmallows, he hasn't gotten sick. Hopefully he won't, he means a lot to Luffy. Like Chopper does for me. Why don't you get a pet? don't you ever get lonely?" Ace asked. It was very quiet here.

Marco thought for a moment. He had never really wanted a pet, but he did get lonely here. "I never really had pets growing up. Fifteen children to raise, maybe a dog would have been added trouble. If I do get a pet, it'll probably be a cat. Then, I could go on tours and not worry. Just clean their litter box and leave food and water if I leave," Marco said.

"I had a cat before my first dog. They're very different, but I think cats are easier to hold. Their squishy and moldable, when they tolerate you holding them. But, every cat is different. It's a myth that a cat will get lonely by itself. They'd rather be only children," Ace explained, wiping her hands on her napkin and giving a satisfied sigh after all of her food was gone. Marco took the plates and bought them to the sink to rinse and put in the dishwasher.

Ace stood up and stretched, heading to the couch for them to continue their movie marathon. "Maybe someday I'll get an animal. I'd rather have a bigger place to get a dog. I'd want a big dog over a little one," Marco said as he put in the disk for Iron Man 3. He sat down next to Ace and slowly inched his arm around Ace's shoulders, hoping she wouldn't pull away.

Marco was happy when she didn't.

-x-

Ace and Marco had agreed to not announce the relationship since it just started. Marco had warned her about dating him, even though he really didn't want to. But, he owed it to her to warn her about what might happen, her not being a celebrity after all. Many people would think of her badly.

She assured him that everything would be okay. And she expressly told him to not think of her as fragile. That she was a different person than she had been at her worst. She didn't want to be treated like she was made of glass, emotionally. Of course, she didn't want Marco to be _mean, _not that she thought he would be, but she wanted him to be honest with her about things.

It had taken one more day after the second to finish the movies, and then rent the last Avengers movie. It was during the ending that Marco first saw Ace's crying face. It made her look so young, and he rubbed her back at the sad ending.

"I know he was an asshole, but he was still my favorite. Did you know that Marvel movie actors have a strict eating and exercising regimen? Can't risk getting out of shape and not being super attractive, after all," Ace sniffled.

Marco agreed. "He was charming, even if he was a jerk. Don't you work out a lot, though? Thatch said you were bench pressing hundreds of pounds." Ace nodded. She had met Thatch at the gym after all, so it was no surprise Marco knew already.

"Working out feels good, but I like eating what I want. Don't you work out? Or are you just naturally muscular?" she asked. Marco flushed a bit with a smile. "Yes, I have checked you out," Ace said with a grin.

Marco chuckled, unconsciously tightening his arm closer so she was against him more. She didn't mind or didn't notice. "I do work out, more for some roles than others. Especially my last role, though I've slipped with it aftr the movie was over. You're actually probably more in shape than I am," he admitted. Ace offered that they could work out together some time.

"Even if it's not at the gym, we could go to the park and go running or something," she said.

"I'd have to be in disguise probably," Marco said honestly. Ace giggled.

"We could always use the press as motivation. Y'know, like they could be monsters in a monster movie we gotta flee from." Marco laughed.

"You mean, use the presence of paparazzi as a game?"

"Why not? It would be convenient. But, I would be exposed, too, and we don't want that yet, right?" Ace asked. She didn't sound bitter about it at all, and it made Marco feel special. She was going through this trouble to be with him without complaint. So far.

"It… doesn't bother you?" Marco questioned slowly. Ace's face turned pink. "What is it?" he asked when she started fidgeting with her fingers. Ace licked her lips, clearly very embarrassed.

"I wouldn't know any different," she said slowly. Marco looked slightly surprised at first, but then really thought about it, and it made sense.

"You've never been in a relationship before?" he asked. She put her flaming face in her hands and nodded. "That's good to know. Why didn't you want to tell me? It's not that big of a deal, you're only twentythree," Marco reasoned kindly.

Ace looked up at him, still looking embarrassed but her face less red. "I don't know, aren't inexperienced people bad at relationships?"

"Where did you hear that?" he asked in slight disbelief. "My first ever relationship was the best I've had. Now, I'm just a bit nervous I won't be a good first boyfriend, and make relationships seem bad for you." Ace looked down and smiled sadly.

She shook her head, medium length black hair curtaining her face. "I wasn't ready for awhile, and I didn't really think anyone would wanna be with someone who was such a mess only a couple years ago," Ace admitted.

"I think you having a past like that made me like you even more. Knowing you got through all of that, how much you've improved. That you know what it's like to hurt, you like helping other people. I'm sad you went through that, but it gives you such depth that other people just don't have.

"Honestly, you're more complex and interesting than any other girl I've met and I know that if I ever get sad, you'll gladly help me. Even my first girlfriend, the 'love of my life' didn't have that kind of deep background." He couldn't help but say "the love of my life" with disdain, as she had cheated on and then left him. Definitely not the love of his life, like he'd foolishly thought.

"Thank you," Ace said quietly.

"I won't treat you like you're glass, I won't treat you any different than I treat a lover who hadn't had a rough time in your life. I promise," Marco swore, holding her hand tightly. Ace smiled in relief and nodded.

-x-

Marco woke up in the morning in a better mood than he had in awhile. But then he realized what had woken him up. His phone was going off like crazy. He groaned and reached to the nightstand and picked up the noisy device. He was worried at first that something had happened with Ace and him and he was getting a ton of messages off of Twitter, but no. It was Thatch, demanding to know what was going on with Marco and Ace.

It was later, so it was good he was awoken, even if it was annoying and he put the device on vibrate until he ate and would _then _respond to his annoying brother.

Marco and Ace had finished the movies, which were now back at Ace's home, and were going out later that day to the park. Of course, Marco would be in disguise, which Ace had assured him didn't bother her and wouldn't make her not want to go just cause he couldn't show his entire face.

He was going to pick her up in his normal car, his regular-person-disguise car, at two. It was supposed to snow early in the morning, but would clear up later and be nice weather for the rest of the day. Plus, he knew Ace had to make a video that day and they wouldn't have all day to spend watching some new show Ace would decide they would watch.

Marco had never known how nice it was just to relax on the couch with someone you like. His previous girlfriend had loved going out to places and spending money, sometimes hers but usually Marco's. Ace just lounged around on the couch with him all day, and he wondered why he hadn't been looking for someone like this before now. And how he'd put up with his last partner for over a year, when now he couldn't even stomach going out with her again.

After Marco finished his cereal, he called Thatch. "Stop blowing up my phone!" was Marco's greeting once the call was answered.

"_But you haven't told me how things have been going! I keep asking and you won't answer," _Thatch whined, sounding anything but an adult man.

"Because I was either with Ace, eating, or sleeping," Marco huffed. "Me and Ace are dating, but are not telling anyone yet. You are not to tell anyone else, even Izo. And don't feel special, I just want you to stop bothering me about it!" Thatch didn't seem offended as he made an unmanly squeal on the phone at hearing about the new relationship.

"We're going to the park today at two. Don't call or message unless it's important. Okay?" Marco asked. Thatch "mhmm'ed" on the other end.

"_Can I bring you food? I can make food for a picnic," _Thatch offered eagerly. But Marco declined, telling him Ace said she had wanted to get food at the vendors around the park. Thatch's frown could be heard in his disappointed voice.

But he moved on quickly. "_Were you coming to the Christmas party?" _The Newgates had parties for almost every holiday. There was two total birthday celebrations. Pops' birthday and a day celebrating all of the sons' birthdays. Marcoalways attended, not including the halloween parties he'd missed before due to uninterest. Ace had been almost as disappointed by that news than Thatch was when Marco had said he wouldn't come.

"I was planning on it before, but now, I don't know, maybe I could spend it with Ace and her family. Right, that's what you do in good relationships, you get to know their family. I don't know if they do anything for it, though," Marco added, suddenly nervous to even ask what she was doing for Christmas, still worried he might be rushing things.

"_Well, you'll have to have a good reason for not coming to appease everyone," _Thatch pointed out. Marco huffed, knowing he was right.

"There's still over a week left, I'll call Pops and talk to him about it after talking to Ace," Marco replied. "It'll all work out. I just don't know if I want Ace to meet everyone yet. They're overbearing and overprotective after all the drama of last time." Marco sighed.

"_They just want you to be happy. It's easy to get taken advantage of, and even more since you're a celebrity," _Thatch said nicely. "_The price you gotta pay for success."_

Marco sighed again, hating that Thatch's words were completely true. "I know. But Ace is different. I think," the actor said in a strong voice. Thatch smiled and agreed.

Then, Thatch brought up something Marco hadn't known about, and wondered why Ace hadn't told him. Her birthday. "_Do you know what Ace does about her birthday? Since it's on New Years day?" _Marco blinked. He hadn't known Ace's birthday was coming up, and wondered why she hadn't said anything. Most likely, she forgot. Or just didn't care about it much. Marco was three months older than her. He wondered if she accepted gifts for her birthday. But, he didn't know what he'd get her.

"I don't know. We haven't talked about it. I'll talk to her about it today and then let you know. I'll keep you posted about the Christmas party, too," Marco said. He went to the couch and sat down, picking up his laptop after putting the phone on speakerphone.

"_When are you gonna tell Pops?"_

Marco frowned. He knew his father would want to know about this before it gets leaked to the press. He just didn't want any pressure to have Ace meet anyone yet. His family was very protective, sometimes too much. He knew some of his siblings did intense research on Marco's established relationships after his first girlfriend broke his heart.

But, he didn't want anyone to do research on Ace. The two had agreed to get to know each other in person, not Google or anything. After all, they both had Wiki pages, even if Marco's was much more detailed. He didn't want his family to know everything about Ace before he did. Even if Marco asked them not to, he was sure at least one would.

He also didn't know how they would react to Ace's past, since it was quite easy to find online, as she spoke openly about it to her loyal fans. "I'm not sure," he answered honestly.

"_He'd want to know, Marco."_

"I know that. I just don't want everyone knowing yet," Marco replied.

"_I'm sure he wouldn't tell anyone else if you asked him no to. It's not like you need to introduce Ace to him right away, you know? You should just tell him you found a girl you want to be with, and just say you don't want to go into much detail yet, as it's still new. That's how you feel, right?" _Thatch asked knowingly. Despite being ditzy a lot, Thatch could be quite smart and emotionally supportive, when he wasn't being pushy and nosy.

Marco sighed. "Me and Ace agreed to not tell anyone."

"_Sabo knows. He has to, he drove Ace to the dates with you. If Sabo gets to know, why not Pops?" _

"I'll ask her."

-x-

Marco sat on the couch, the phone call over, clicking on a notification in his email about Ace posting a new video. It was long, twenty minutes. A Q&A with her fans. Marco relaxed into the couch and watched.

Ace had her hair in a perfect messy-bun, wearing glasses Ace hadn't seen her in before. They were very cute. She seemed to be in her room, with the bedroom door closed behind her. There were posters of movies and drawings on her walls.

"Hi everybody! I just want to say to those who came to my book signing, that it was wonderful talking with you guys face-to-face. I'd like to do it again some time. So, as I said on Twitter, I'd be taking questions from you guys if you had them, and boy are there a lot. Many of them are the same questions, so I'll be answering multiple questions at once. There are too many messages to say everyone's names.

"And, sorry about the choppy edit somewhere near the middle of the video. My brother had a freak attack after dropping his hamster, and interrupted the video. I'll show that clip at the end as a little blooper," Ace explained with a grin. "Surume is fine, by the way."

She had a presentation ready, with her face in the corner. It had each question on a slide, with the names of those who asked it. It must have taken a while to make, as Marco could see there were a hundred slides.

"The most popular question: How do you stand up to bullies? I never stood up to mine. I was too scared and self-conscious, not to mention they had a lot of power. But, if I had, which I wish I did, I would not have broken out into insults. I would probably tell them how they made me feel. They might not care, but I would have been sincere with my words.

"Plus, your bully might feel uncomfortable or guilty, and guilt could get them to leave you alone. It's always best to be honest, though maybe not share everything with them. I do have notorious haters sometimes, but it's best to ignore messages like that online.

"For cyberbullying, the best thing to do is to not respond, and block them. They are looking for an argument, and the most infuriating thing you could do to them is not answer. Just delete the message if you need to. Most cyberbullies know nothing about you as a person, just what you put online. Ignore them as best as you can."

A new slide came. "Next: how do I feel about medication? Medication saved me. Therapy helped, but the medication saved me. My parents hadn't believed in them for a long time, but if I had been on them before, I might never have tried to kill myself. But, finding a good mix of meds can be hard, as there are side effects to most medications. At one time, I was taking 13 pills a day just to treat some side effects with other pills.

"Am I on meds now? No, I'm not. But, if I do become depressed again, I will start on them again. But, right now and for the last two years, I haven't needed them, but there is nothing wrong with being on some."

Marco was irritated with the choices Ace's parents had made while she was a teenager. How could they have not seen what she was going through? Ace adjusted her glasses, and answered more questions. Some of them she had covered in other videos, like what she ate to be healthy, and her exercise schedule and regimen.

"To those who commented about stretch marks, they are natural after losing weight. I do have them, on my hips, inner thighs and under arms. They will be there after losing weight, and there's nothing wrong with them," Ace answered. Marco smiled, knowing that most celebrities would not have admitted that to the public, not how things are now.

It was eleven minutes into the video that it suddenly skipped, Ace being cut off in one sentence. Looks like that was when Luffy barged in. When the next cut was made, Ace looked mildly annoyed, but lost that look quickly.

"A lot of you guys have trouble with acne. Everyone does at some point in some part of their bodies. I'm going to show you some before and after photoshop photos of celebrities," Ace said and some photos of celebrities with acne were brought up. "I was lucky and my skin cleared up once I turned twenty. Make sure to wash your face, but find one that won't irritate your skin, as some will probably backfire and make you break out more."

Ace sneezed quietly, and then apologized before going to the next slide. "Many questions want to know about my time in the institution. It was not a prison like movies make it seem. There were some very disturbed people there, but you're not in the same sections of the hospital with them. I wasn't crazy, I just needed emotional help.

"It was scary at first, and I didn't want to be there, but I actually made some good friends that I still am close with there. You shouldn't be embarrassed to go there. If you need to go, then go. don't let anyone make you feel like doing what is right for you is bad or wrong or shameful.

"I am glad I went. It helped me a lot. So, if you need to go, then you need to go. Do what is right for yourself and your health."

There were a lot of questions that Ace answered each honestly, and went into detail with them. The question that Marco was nervous about being answered was near the end. "How do I feel about being in a relationship? I think it would be nice. But, find someone who cares about you and loves you for you, no matter what you've been through or done. Obviously, I don't mean that a partner should ignore if you've murdered someone or something like that.

"It seems hard to find someone who will accept all of you, including mistakes and missteps, but there has to be someone out there for everyone." Marco felt like her smile was directed at him, and it made him grin.

After another nine minutes of answering various questions, the ending came. "If anyone wants me to do another one of these, I will some time in the future. Now, here is what happened with my brother interrupting the video," she said with an amused laugh.

"My medications were-"

"_Ahhh! _Ace, I dropped Surume! He's not moving!" Luffy screamed, slamming Ace's door open. Her head whipped around and she quickly stood up, frowning irritably, and ran out of the room. Marco could hear Luffy yelling.

"Be quiet and calm down!" he could hear Ace shout irritably. "He's fine, Luffy. He was probably just shocked. He landed on the carpet, he's okay, alright? Calm down." Ace's voice was then calming down Chopper, who had apparently been freaked out by the screaming, barking madly.

Ace walked back in, looking grumpy, and then continued to talk. Marco laughed. Was Luffy a bad owner? He dropped the hamster and lost him in the same week. But, he clearly cared very much about Surume. Marco wondered if he'd be a better pet owner than Luffy was.

"And, that's all. Please like and subscribe. And comment! I love reading them. As to Marco Newgate following me on Twitter, we went to high school together, saw each other at a reunion, and he looked into me, finding my page and YouTube channel and followed me. Bye guys," she finished with a beautiful smile, ending the video.

Marco suddenly looked regretful. He said he wouldn't learn anything about her from the internet, and here he had just watched this video where she talked all about herself. He felt bad about it. But, he'd be honest and tell her. He just hoped she wouldn't be upset.

-x-

Marco stood outside of Ace's apartment, wearing his baseball hat and sunglasses, wearing a plain T-shirt and some sweats with tennis shoes. It was a date, but he thought Ace wouldn't care even if he went out in his pyjamas, not that he would.

He knocked on the bright red door, which opened to a grinning Ace, who had her own sunglasses and hat on. She picked up a backpack and put it on, saying goodbye to Luffy and taking Marco's hand as they walked down the hall.

"Why are you wearing that?" he asked curiously.

"You don't have to be the only one in disguise," Ace replied simply. Marco smiled softly as they reached his car. "This your 'normal-person' car?" she asked, amused with the simple car when he could afford so much better.

"Exactly. I… I watched today's video. I didn't even think of the fact that we agreed to not learn about each other online," Marco said, sounding ashamed.

"Well, now you just have to tell me more about yourself and we'll be even. Besides, you didn't Google me, you just watched one of my videos," Ace replied simply, not angry at all. Marco smiled at her.

"So, what are you doing for Christmas and New Years?" Marco asked.

Ace rolled up the window and said, "Our parents and their family aren't really in our lives, so it's just me and Sabo and Luffy for Christmas. We celebrate New Years as a birthday party because January 1st is my birthday. At least it's not on Christmas," Ace explained.

They pulled into one of the parking lots at the park and got out of the car, Ace walking around the side to Marco, and he reached for her hand. He looked down at it, much smaller than his, and saw all of the little freckles on her knuckles.

"I really like your freckles," Marco said suddenly, surprising Ace, who smiled. "I find them really cute."

Ace scratched her cheek with a finger and a shy smile. "I used to get teased about them a lot when I was a kid," she replied, though she didn't sound upset over it. "I like them, too, to be honest. I think my mom was the freckled one."

They walked through the more public areas of the park before heading into the trails that lead to the creek. They weren't going swimming, since it was December, but they didn't want to just stick to the road.

"I don't see why. They're unique," Marco said, running his thumb over her knuckle. "So, any questions you want to ask? You're supposed to learn more about me to make it even, right?" Ace nodded, and wore a pondering expression for a moment.

"What is your family like?" she finally settled on. Marco smiled at the question.

"Where do I start? I have fourteen brothers, including Thatch and Izo. All adopted by our father, Edward Newgate. His nickname is Whitebeard, but his kids call him 'pops'. He doesn't have any family, so we have no aunts or uncles or grandparents. He always wanted a family after he lost his, so he went crazy on adopting children, but he raised us well, despite how many of us there are.

"Pops inherited a lot of money after his family were gone, and he spent the wealth on raising us in a large home. We had to share rooms, which is expected. Rarely do houses have seventeen different bedrooms. I shared with Thatch and Izo. Us three and Haruta are the youngest. All around the same age, except Haruta is a year younger than me, Thatch, and Izo." Marco paused, gaining Ace's attention, looking at him curiously, wondering why he paused in his story.

"I want to ask if I can tell my father about us?" Marco asked. "I know he'd be upset if he found out about us from the press if they find out. He won't tell anyone else if I ask him not to," the man assured. Ace shrugged, saying it was fine, since Sabo and Luffy both know already.

Marco grinned. "You don't have to meet my family for awhile if you don't want to. Do you want to spend Christmas together? I can come over with you and your brothers," he offered with a genuine smile.

Ace returned the smile. "I'm sure they'd be fine with that. But, won't your family be sad without you?" she asked. They were still holding hands, walking through the trails, not paying much attention to where they were going, except for making sure they didn't trip on roots in the ground. They were both wearing boots.

Marco waved off her concern, saying, "I've spent twenty three Christmas's with them, missing one won't be a big deal. Though, I'll have to come up with a reason other than me spending it with you and your family, since we don't want anyone to know yet." Ace nodded in agreement.

"You could say you are sick?" she offered. Marco shook his head.

"They'd come to me to make me feel better if I had to spend Christmas alone, even if they risked getting sick," he replied. "I'll ask Izo. He's good at coming up with fake stories." They walked for a bit more, Marco talking about each of his siblings in detail. They were a diverse bunch. Compared to some of his siblings, Ace was _tiny._ Some of them would tower over her. Even Marco was extremely tall next to her, her head barely reaching his chin.

Ace was the smallest girlfriend he'd had. It was nothing compared to him being her first boyfriend, though. If Ace wore heels, she would be closer to his height, but not by much, and he didn't think she'd wear uncomfortable shoes unless necessary. Especially knowing that she went to a date in comfortable clothes and fluffy socks.

He had a feeling his family, or at least most, would like her, once their suspicion went away. Ace was very likable and honest, not to mention funny.

"You're welcome to come to Christmas with us. It won't be much of a party, though. But, we already know Sabo likes you, and you found Sururme, so Luffy probably likes you, too, now. Plus, he knows that you were the one to be nice to me in high school," Ace said. Marco was glad her family so far liked and approved of her dating him.

He hoped it didn't backfire on her siblings, possibly being under the public eye. "I wish I had been nice to you more than once," Marco replied quietly, grip tightening on her hand slightly. But Ace smiled at him.

"It doesn't really matter anymore, and I'm not mad or anything. Once is better than none, right?" she reasoned. "Everything worked out in the end, you don't need to feel bad about any of it. Besides, even if you were nice to me more often or were my friend, it wouldn't have stopped what eventually happened. There were too many things all at once."

"Okay…" Marco said, not sure if he felt any better about it.

"Really, Marco, don't feel bad about it anymore. You didn't do anything to make it worse," Ace insisted. They walked around some more, talking about more lighthearted things.

When they got hungry, they headed back to the public area and to the vendors. They both brought some attention with their disguises. Marco was surprised when Ace didn't want him to pay for her food. She insisted on paying her own. Marco did think that, for other people's eyes, it would be better for her. Hopefully she wouldn't be called a "gold-digger", like many non-famous people dating famous people were called. Marco hadn't pushed her about it, though he did offer to pay for hers as well.

He didn't push her on it, though. He didn't want to risk offending or irritating her after the second offer. When they both went to a picnic table with their smoothies, Ace explained why she wanted to pay for her own things.

"I don't talk about family stuff on my channel but we've had some money problems, with some trying to get to my own money or trying to guilt me into paying them back for normal things. So, I always pay for my own food when going out to eat. It's nothing personal to you, I just feel more comfortable knowing I don't owe anyone anything," Ace said.

Marco nodded, understanding what she meant. "So is that only for food? I can't buy you anything I want to?" he asked. Ace licked her lips, thinking about it.

"You can buy me something for holidays or a birthday, but I'm not the kind of person who wants lots of things that I can't pay for myself. I mean, I don't know. You can buy me something if you want, just, please, nothing big," Ace requested.

"Alright. Then I won't push you about me paying for things." Then he chuckled. "It's kind of weird, though. I feel like most celebrity couples buy each other things, so it's a bit strange dating someone so humble. I mean, I like it, but it's still odd," Marco said. Ace smiled lightly and swung her and Marco's joined hands slightly.

Ace then said, "Well, at least you know I'm not with you for the money, right?" She wore a cheeky grin when she said this. Marco smiled back and nodded.

**Review!**


	4. Telling the Father

**Kippysaurus: I'm glad you like the hamster, lol. The cat is also fun much later in the story. As of now I'm not thinking of doing any side stories for this one.**

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**Another long chapter! Enjoy and Merry late Christmas!**

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Marco paced in his apartment, phone in hand and his father's contact open. Edward Newgate, otherwise nicknamed Whitebeard, despite not having a beard, was retired, so at the time of the day it was, he was most likely at home, sneaking alcohol into his room so some of his nurses wouldn't notice.

After fifteen minutes of wondering what he would say, Marco pressed the call button and waited while the phone rang. It picked up relatively quickly. "Marco! Son, how are you?" Whitebeard asked happily. He hadn't heard from Marco in a couple weeks. Last time they'd talked, Marco had been single. It had been a little over a week since he and Ace were dating. He had waited a few days to call his father. He and Ace had gone to coffee the day before, both wearing a disguise, Ace being silly and wearing a blonde wig. She looked much better with dark hair.

"Hi, pops. I'm doing well. How about you?" Marco asked. But, he wasn't surprised that his father could tell Marco was nervous.

"I'm doing just fine. Is something wrong?" the old man asked. Marco frowned. Of course he'd notice. Whitebeard could read Marco like a book, even over the phone.

"Am I not allowed to call just to say hi?" he asked. Whitebeard laughed over the phone.

"Son, you are always a pleasure to talk with, but I can tell something has you troubled. Are you alright?" the father asked in concern. Marco paused for a moment. "Marco?"

Marco sighed, and just bit the bullet. "I wanted to tell you, before it could get leaked to the media, that I'm seeing someone," Marco said shortly. Might as well get to the point, right? Whitebeard was quiet for only a second.

"And why are you so nervous telling me?" the old man asked curiously, and also a bit confused. Marco replied with a mumble of "I don't know". "What's her name?" he asked, assuming it was a woman as Marco wasn't gay.

"Ace. I went to high school with her for a couple years. Saw her at the reunion again. Then, Thatch and Izo and I went to Thatch's house and baked a cake with her. She has a YouTube channel, which is what made me… _interested_ in her."

Whitebeard sounded a bit surprised at this. "She's not a fellow celebrity?"

"No. And don't worry about her wanting to be with me 'cause of money. She refuses for me to pay for anything for her. Won't even let me pay for her out at restaurants," Marco assured. He didn't want any doubt on Ace from his father. "I'm thinking about spending Christmas with her and her family this year. She lives with her two brothers."

Surprisingly, Whitebeard didn't seem upset over Ace not spending Christmas with them. Instead, he asked what Ace was like. Marco was pretty sure his father could hear the smile in his voice while he talked about Ace. How unique she was, what her channel and cause were about, how pretty she was and silly. That she went out in public with him in disguise to make him feel more comfortable.

"Gurararara! She sounds like a nice girl. I think the family could always have the Christmas party Christmas day, so you can spend the eve with Ace and her family," Whitebeard offered. He wasn't mad at all, or upset. The way Marco described Ace definitely got his father's approval. He wouldn't be disappointed because everything Marco had said had been the truth. He left out some of the details about her trying to kill herself, but he assumed his father would look her up later and see for himself.

"Thanks, pops. I was worried you'd be upset. I don't want anyone else knowing for now," Marco said. Whitebeard agreed and told him he wouldn't be spreading the news to anyone, not even family, which he knew Marco was implying not know.

"Alright, I won't tell any of your brothers or sisters. I have no reason to tell anyone besides them, so your secret is safe from me," Whitebeard assured. Marco smiled and thanked him. They spoke for the next thirty minutes about trivial things, or his health and Marco's other siblings. Having fourteen of them made it difficult to keep up with all of them. Marco really only talked to those closest to him in age. Thatch, Izo and Haruta, the three youngest in the family.

After getting off the phone with Whitebeard, the blonde called Ace to tell her he could spend Christmas with her and her brothers. The line rang for a while before Ace picked up, sounding out of breath.

"_Hey, what's up?" _she asked. Marco assumed she had been exercising, as he heard voices in the background and machines clanking loudly. Marco told her the news and she was happy he could spend time with her and his own family for Christmas. Apparently Luffy and Sabo were completely fine with Marco coming over, but requested he doesn't make a scene and show everyone where they lived.

Sabo had said, very understandingly, that their location could be found out sooner or later, but he would prefer it didn't happen on Christmas. Marco was surprised by Ace's family's unexpected openness to being under the spotlight. After Ace left the gym, still on the phone with her boyfriend, she explained that Sabo and Luffy were only open to the idea because it was Marco. Any other celebrity they would not want to go through possibly being under a microscope. It made Marco feel good and very accepted. He had been worried about that. But, Sabo had never disliked Marco, though it could have changed with Marco's status and place in the hall of fame.

Ace explained that Marco should feel very lucky because Sabo and Luffy were very protective over her_. "Not that I ask them to be, but it's just how things ended up after everything that happened. Don't be surprised if you don't get the 'you better not hurt my sister' act from Sabo. He knows I won't put up with it myself,"_ she said conversationally. "_I'm gonna be in the car now, so I'll text you later about when you want to come over on Friday. Bye bye,"_ and she hung up.

Marco was surprised by how much his self-esteem was rising being around Ace and knowing how her brothers felt about him. With his previous partner, they weren't too close to their family, and to those who were disliked Marco and got in fights a lot with their daughter. The Charlottes had been a mean-spirited family.

He had felt very unremarkable and not special at all when he went to dinner with her family. He honestly couldn't understand why he wanted to date someone like Pudding. And he couldn't believe how long it took him to find out what a good relationship was. And he was determined to make Ace's first relationship a good one.

Marco really wondered what the response would be from the media and his fans when they found out - and they would - about who he was dating. He was also curious to how Ace's fans would react. Based on the comments he'd read on Ace's videos and posts, they were extremely protective over her. Even Ace said in one of her videos for her fans not to attack those who may not like her.

Honestly, girls could be scary sometimes. Ace's core audience seemed to be teens and young women. Marco hoped, even though it felt a bit silly to do so, that Ace's fans liked him and approved of him. Just knowing Ace for only a little while made him know that Ace made her own decisions about who or what she did or didn't like.

-x-

Friday came around quicker than Marco thought it would and he was having trouble finding a gift to get Ace. He really didn't want to buy something expensive, but he wouldn't go for something cheap either. Ace hadn't given him any hints, because he hadn't asked. Marco was torn between something personal to get, or something more useful for her career, like a nice camera stand of something.

He finally settled on two things, one of each category. A nice camera stand, since Ace had complained before that hers wobbled easily, and a leather bound sketch book that was small enough for her to carry in a purse or backpack. Ace had told him that she liked to draw as a hobby.

He got Luffy and Sabo presents based on what Ace said they liked. He got Luffy some keychains and buttons from the nerdiest store he could find, all Pokemon characters. Sabo got Game of Thrones figurines. He hoped they would like them, and that they wouldn't think it was strange for Marco to get them gifts.

Marco was also having trouble with what to wear. He had a feeling that Ace's family wouldn't be formal for just opening presents after dinner and watching movies. He didn't want to dress too fancy, but he also didn't want to underdress. He finally decided on jeans and a dark blue sweater, with boots.

He went all out with his disguise, not wanting a single chance someone would recognize him either outside of Ace's apartment building or for her neighbors. He took a page out of Ace's book and bought a wig to wear under his usual baseball hat with the sunglasses. He was carrying the box with the camera stand in it and a gift bag for the sketchbook.

The man was nervous, which was a foreign feeling for him, when he knocked on the bright red from door of Ace's unit. Luffy was the one to open the door, and was wearing a bright red sweater with comfy shorts on. He also wore a Santa's hat that was much too long and the tip flopped over the side down to his chin.

Marco hadn't had much interaction with Luffy other than searching for his hamster that one time. "Hi, Luffy," Marco said to the grinning teen, who opened the door widely. The moment Marco walked in, he smelled whatever Ace and Sabo were working on in the kitchen and it smelled _delicious. _

The house was very decked out in Christmas decorations, more so than the last time he'd come over. The tree was quite big but only had a few presents under it. Marco remembered that Ace wasn't close with the rest of her family. There was another woman sitting on the couch across from the Christmas tree and TV, petting Ace's little dog. The woman's name was Koala, and she was Sabo's girlfriend. It wasn't planned that she would come over, since she lived in another town, but had been able to make it and Sabo was very happy about that.

There were tons of ornaments on the tree, and Marco noticed just how many of them were characters from TV shows or movies. He recognized many of them were anime characters and popular pop-culture ones as well.

Marco felt a bit awkward, but the apartment felt very cozy and welcoming. So unlike his own, and even unlike the house he grew up in. He walked over the tree, after taking his shoes off in the front hall, and set down the presents under the tree.

Ace came out of the kitchen, wearing a purple apron, and told him dinner was almost ready.

"It smells really good," Marco said as he sat on the couch. Ace beamed and thanked him.

"Hey, I'm helping cook too, you know!" Sabo called from the kitchen, though everyone could tell he was joking.

"Yes, Sabo, we know," Ace said as she hurried back into the kitchen. Marco made small talk with Koala, who seemed quite nice and polite. She worked as a social worker, and Marco was grateful she didn't ask him about anything related to him being famous. She was drinking coffee, and seemed to be dressed just like Ace was: sweats and an ugly sweater. Ace had her hair up in a messy ponytail as she and Sabo cooked in their nice kitchen.

Luffy eventually came over, Surume in a little hamster ball that started rolling around the floor, bumping into the furniture. Marco thought it was entertaining just how much Luffy loved his hamster.

"So, Marco, do you love Ace?" Luffy asked bluntly, wearing a bright grin. Marco's face turned a bit pink, something he wasn't used to, and Luffy laughed. Koala smacked his arm, scolding him for asking something so personal.

Luffy laughed it off and left to the kitchen to whine about when the food was gonna be done, leaving Marco still feeling flustered. Koala took pity on him, and told him that he had asked her the same thing when she first started dating Sabo. "Luffy is extremely blunt and clueless sometimes. Don't worry, he's probably already forgotten about what he asked," she assured him kindly.

Marco nodded awkwardly nodded, but Koala was nice enough to distract him by telling Marco how the Portgas's Chirstmas's usually were. "You dressed correctly. No one cares about formalities in this household. We will all eat dinner on the carpet, since the dining table is just for show, and we'll vote on what movie to watch. It's not always Christmas themed. Opening presents comes last," she explained before Ace called, "It's ready!" from the kitchen.

Koala got up to help bring the dishes to the living room as Luffy laid down a large picnic blanket over the carpet. Sabo, Ace and Koala all carried the dishes like waiters and waitresses would. The food looked delicious. The ham that Ace had told Marco about once, and warm bread with mashed potatoes, vegetables, cranberries, apple cider, as none of them drank any alcohol, and stuffing.

Marco couldn't believe how much food there was for five people, as more and more dishes came. How could five people eat all of this without having too much leftovers to fit in the refrigerator?

Ace chuckled at his face, and said, "Most of this food will end up in Luffy's bottomless stomach." She sat down next to him and put the plates down and utensils. Everyone sat cross legged in their socks and comfy clothes, talking and joking during the meal. Marco felt very cozy, spending Christmas eve with Ace's family and Koala.

Marco was glad he wasn't the focus of the conversation. No one asked him invasive questions. He had been worried money would come up, but he honestly should have known better. He'd only been on a couple dates with Ace, but it was clear from the start that she wasn't materialistic.

The food was absolutely delicious. Thatch would be impressed, no doubt. It was quite different than a party at the Newgate's house. Everyone always ended up very drunk, and were extremely loud at his family's house. Marco was frankly amazed with how much Luffy could eat. Ace had forced him to have a napkin tucked under his chin like a bib before he scarfed down half of the whole meal.

His siblings and Koala didn't seem surprised at all, and seemed quite unbothered by it. Oh, how Izo would disapprove. Ace and Sabo seemed to make just the right amount of food, and there were no leftovers as everyone ate until they were full.

After everyone took the plates to the kitchen and rinsed them off before sticking them in the dishwasher, they all retired to the couch, turning on the Chromecast and surfing Netflix for something to watch. Sabo was the one with the remote, Koala cuddled up on one side of him while Ace did the same with Marco, her feet curled up on the couch. Luffy sat on the floor against the recliner, seeingly unbothered by the other couples.

They eventually settled on a movie Marco hadn't seen in a very long time: _Jurassic Park. _It seemed like the siblings watched it often, but Marco shouldn't have been surprised. They watched the first two, and by the time it was over, it was almost eleven and they still hadn't opened presents, which Luffy seemed to be getting very impatient about.

Marco was nervous about his gift choices. He also wondered what Ace had gotten him. He hadn't asked for anything, but Marco was sure she must have gotten him something. They moved back to the carpet, Luffy plopping down on the bean bag chair that was next to the tree and sorting the presents excitedly.

Marco had no idea what he got as it was in a gift bag. He had three gift bags, one from each sibling. They went in a little circle, each opening one present in the loop. Marco wasn't sure he was happy that his seemed to be being kept for last.

Sabo got Ace three books that seemed to be _Doctor Who_ stories, which Marco hadn't seen before. Ace beamed and thanked him. When she got to Luffy's, she gave clearly very fake surprise when it was a new videogame.

"I am so surprised, Lu! Thank you," she mocked. Marco wondered why she did this until Luffy acted offended and Ace told him, "You had _me_ wrap it, dumbo." Luffy pouted, but wasn't angry. Koala got Ace a couple beanies, and winked at Marco when there was a red wig.

"For your new _hobby_ in disguising yourself," Koala joked. Ace smacked Sabo's arm, who clearly told his girlfriend about Ace's new "hobby". The woman had no doubt been told about Marco coming over before he arrived, or she would have been more shocked to have a famous star come to Christmas eve. Marco wasn't offended or upset she knew. He wouldn't just not want her to come so she didn't know about Ace's new boyfriend.

Knowing that Sabo and Ace accepted Koala made Marco sure she was trustworthy. She was very polite and clearly loved Sabo.

Luffy got a huge new hamster house for Surume, whose ball was still rolling around somewhere. Ace's dog had slept at the foot of the tree for almost the whole night, and was now in Ace's lap, next to Marco.

Sabo got a huge set of history books and classics. All he got was books from each person, and Marco became nervous about his choice. Damn, he should have asked for hints. For Marco's gifts, he got a new hat from Sabo, who teased him lightly about his need to disguise as well. Marco was sure he and Koala collaborated their gifts. Luffy got him a stuffed hamster, because he had no idea what to get and had only met Marco because his hamster got lost. Marco found it amusing.

From Ace, he got two new ties, but of course they were all nerd themed, because why would they be anything different? One had Iron Man's Arc Reactor, the other had Spiderman's suit design on it. He smiled amusedly and thanked her.

When the last presents were opened, Marco's, he looked nervous, but Ace held his hand with a cheeky grin, amused. She was very happy with Marco's gifts, and said that she had been looking at this exact camera stand a couple weeks ago. Luffy laughed at his gifts, wondering how Marco knew he liked it.

"Ace's ringtones for you two are Pokemon and Game of Thrones. I just assumed," he said shyly.

"Thanks, Marco," Sabo said with a smile. After all of the presents were opened, and the salvageable wrapping paper separated from the rest, dessert was brought out, and Marco wished he had gotten Thatch to bake something for him to bring. By midnight, Ace was seeming sleepy, and Marco didn't want to keep her up any later.

"I really had fun tonight," he told her at the door. Koala seemed to be staying the night, and told him it was nice meeting him. "It was very different from my usual Christmas Eve." Ace beamed at him and reached up to kiss his cheek.

"Have fun with your family tomorrow," she replied. Marco grinned and put on his new disguise, looking quite foolish with the hat choice from Sabo, which was a top hat.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas. Talk to you later," Ace said as she showed him out. Marco left the building beaming. It was very dark out now, but it was Christmas Eve and not a lot of people were outside. The darkness helped him not be seen as he headed to the underground parking lot and drove home in a very good mood.

-x-

The next morning, Marco arrived at the mansion, prepared to spend all day partying with his family. It was going to be quite different from last night, he knew. He wore the Iron Man tie, just because, even though he wasn't wearing a suit. Thatch and Izo were the only ones to get it and laughed.

But, they didn't give away why they thought it was funny. Marco was not surprised one bit when everyone quickly got drunk in the middle of the day, after tearing open their gifts like a bunch of hyperactive children. Though it was very different from last night, Marco had a lot of fun. He didn't get too drunk, though. He wasn't one to drink himself under the table anymore as he had a reputation to be held, and now he didn't want Ace to risk ever seeing him drunk. He did drink at home, but it was never more than reasonable.

Thatch was always a flirty drunk with a big mouth. Marco was sitting at the table, eating from the buffet casually, when Thatch stumbled over. They were all outside at the mansion's yard, which was very isolated so no media would come see follow him. "M-Marco, how'd lass night gooo?" Marco frowned at him. "Noh good?"

"Thatch, stop it," Marco warned. It was attracting some of his siblings. Thatch pouted at him immaturely, before saying, "Guess she wasn' fun?" and staggered off. Marco sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Great, he said "she" and now everyone was going to be asking him about it.

"Marco's got a new girl?" Jozu asked. Marco glared at him, and everyone else in a warning to not bring it up. They probably now assumed he hadn't had a good time. Great. Would they already start thinking lowly of Ace and not even knowing who she was? He sighed and walked over to Whitebeard and sat down on the grass next to his large chair.

Whitebeard smiled down at him, before quietly asking, "Was it fun?" Marco nodded his head with a small smile. No one else was listening form the warning look they got from the captain.

"I really like her and her family. They were so welcoming. It was very different from our Christmas parties." He then explained how the night went, and could tell his father approved of Ace so far. He laughed when Marco told him about the new "disguises" that he'd probably never wear in public. Whitebeard seemed amused by Luffy's antics.

"One of the first things he asked me was if I loved Ace, then ran off and never brought it up again. He seems like a handful," Marco said. "But he's clearly adored by his siblings. It seems that way for all of them."

Whitebeard laughed. "Sounds like you found a catch, son. I'm looking forward to meeting her some day."

"Just a warning, don't get shitfaced in front of her. She doesn't like alcohol except wine sometimes," Marco explained. "I'm excited for you to meet her," the man admitted.

The father took a large gulp of his drink. "So far, I like her more than Pudding," he commented. Marco chuckled and agreed. "It'll be interesting to see how everyone reacts to your dating a normal person." Marco agreed with this, too.

Just then, Haruta came slinking out from behind the tall bush against the father and famous son's back. "Sooo, Marco's got a new lady friend?" he slurred. Marco pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation with his family members. He shooed Haruta away, not answering his question. Marco ended up only having one bottle of beer, but stayed to eat everything Thatch had made before getting himself smashed. Very different image than the cool, put-together chef Ace knew. Wonder what she'd think of Thatch flirting with his adopted brothers and vomiting in the bushes.

Izo eventually came over to talk to Marco in more private about the night before and how it went. Marco gave his brother the flyby about what kind of Christmas Even he had with his new girlfriend and her family. Izo smiled as he listened to a very happy looking Marco. Everyone else at the party could see Marco's soft smile as he spoke, and desperately wanted to know what made him look like that, but Pops gave them all a look and no one asked, going right back to drinking and partying.

-x-

The next week, Ace was sick with a bad cold and he didn't see her the whole time. In just the few weeks that he had been together with Ace, it had made him want to see her at every chance, and he requested coming to help take care of her, but she assured him that her brothers were doing just fine.

And even though she was ill, she still made her weekly video, though she was subdued and very clearly sick. In the comments, her fans kept telling her to stop making videos while she is sick and to take care of herself. Marco once again felt a twinge of jealousy that she had formed such bonds with her followers. He hoped that when it inevitably came out that they were together, her fans would approve of him.

Marco had never thought he'd want to be accepted by someone else's fanbase. It was a new feeling, and with Ace, he was getting a lot of those. Mostly good new feelings. Well, all good feelings.

Marco had asked Thatch to make her some home made soup that he had Sabo come and pick up, grateful that they were trying to help her and respecting her wishes to not see Marco. Ace texted him and Thatch later a "thank you" for the soup, and that she couldn't stop Luffy from having some.

_Warn Thatch about him. Luffy will probably not stop pestering him for good food, _she texted near the end of her sick week.

_Thatch says he's welcome anytime._

_Those words will be his downfall._

And those words were true, because Luffy got ahold of Thatch's number and pestered him for food. The man had good spirits about the whole thing, finding it entertaining that this young adult acted like a kid. Marco had to give Ace and Sabo credit for being able to keep Luffy well fed despite how ungodly big his stomach seemed to be.

Izo said that there must be something wrong about his metabolism to not be obese from what they'd seen of his eating habits. How had he not bankrupted their family with the food cost?

When Marco asked that, talking over the phone with Ace at midnight because Marco couldn't sleep, she replied, "_He's surprisingly good when it comes to budgeting. He'll complain, sure, but he understands that money is a thing. And he pays for a lot of his own expenses. Me and Sabo just have to cook for him, but that's not a very big deal. I do wonder how your family stayed healthy having sixteen people in it, counting your father."_

Marco was lying on his bed in the dark, getting lulled to sleep by Ace's voice. "We're all completely different ages, so many of us had full time work while I was still in high school. Besides, we didn't al still live together once some of my siblings passed the age of twenty. It also helped that my dad is very rich."

Ace chuckled. "_Yeah, that would be a big help." _

When Marco yawned loudly over the phone, Ace told him it was time for bed and that she'd talk to him the next day. "_Sleep well," _was the last thing Marco heard before he fell asleep, his snores audible over the phone before Ace hung up.

Ace was probably one of the most fun people to hang out with the Marco had ever met, besides some of his brothers. She seemed to just make stress melt away for Marco. When they went out in public, Ace wore a different colored wig each time. She now had all types of colors and dozens of sunglasses. Marco wasn't bold enough to sport wigs, and just alternated hats. He still hadn't worn the top hat Sabo gave him. The point of a disguise was to _not _bring attention to yourself.

The stress of going out in disguises and hoping no one recognized him and gave him some peace melted away when Ace made it into a sort of game. When they didn't go out in public, and they were at Marco's place, since Luffy pestered him about Thatch's cooking whenever he went to Ace's house, she could be surprisingly serious.

Marco was feeling stressed about his movie coming out in a couple days and that he'd be thrown into the spotlight again for awhile after it went into theaters, and that it might affect his and Ace's relationship, she just smiled and said, "It's an adventure. There's ups and downs, but it'll all work out."

When he laid his head in Ace's lap she started absentmindedly messing with his hair. "We'll be exposed eventually, right?" Marco nodded. "So it's inevitable. But until then it'll be fun, and after, well then it's a new adventure," she reasoned.

"You aren't worried about people not accepting you or prying into your life, or people getting your home address and never leaving you alone?" he asked hesitantly, sounding and feeling more uneasy than he had in awhile. "I really like you and don't want my career to make things not work out." Ace chuckled.

"Honestly, you should be more worried about how _my _fans will react to you. You said yours are rabid because of how attractive you are, but my fans have a deeper connection and probably won't hesitate to bite you if they think you aren't good enough," she explained. "If they get our home address, well, then that's that. We'll deal with it. Honestly, I think Luffy could easily drive away a crowd with his annoyingness."

Marco laughed. "Yeah, he can be pretty annoying to be honest," Marco joked.

"And, there's a window that can be opened in our hallway. Luffy would have fun dropping water balloons on the press. I'm sure he'd be thoroughly entertained," Ace said. Marco laughed, picturing Luffy dropping balloons or buckets of water on the press. Though it might just make people hate Luffy, but Marco had a feeling he wouldn't care.

"Sounds entertaining," Marco replied. Ace smiled brightly.

"It'll all work out," Ace insisted, and Marco let himself believe it would. At least for now. Once Ace was gone, and her reassuring presence absent, the worries would no doubt come back. He really wanted to stay with Ace and didn't want any drama to plague their relationship. He was insecure that she didn't feel for him strong enough to willingly complicate her life. Even if they had only just started dating a couple weeks ago, Marco felt like he'd known and been friends with Ace for years.

She hadn't even met his family yet, and he so wanted them to. He wanted to share with his family the woman he was starting to consider was the girl of his dreams. It wasn't the same for Ace as it was for Marco most likely. Ace had never been in a relationship, so she might not know what to expect. But, Marco had been in a few, and out of them Ace was more like his first love. The good thing about Ace not being his is that he knew what he was looking for now, and knew how a healthy relationship should be. And he'd make sure Ace would always think of him as a good first love, even if they did end up splitting.

Ace stayed over at Marco's house for much of the day, mostly watching TV on the couch, Marco's head in Ace's lap still. It was relaxing to just sit and watch TV together, even if they didn't talk during the show and just enjoyed each others' company. When she left, Sabo picking her up behind the building, the floods of nervousness came back, and he hoped that they would have long enough privacy together for her to want to stay with him even through tough times.

Later that night, Marco hadn't wanted to stay alone for dinner and invited himself over to Thatch's place. He was surprised to see Luffy there. It was freezing outside, but Luffy had ridden his bike all the way to Thatch's house just to get some food.

"Hey, Luffy," Marco said in surprise when he was the one to answer the door.

"Hi, Marco! Hey, guess what? Thatch is making me some stew to bring home," Luffy said excitedly. Marco saw Thatch in the kitchen, looking disgruntled as he cooked in a massive pot.

Thatch looked up from his task to give Marco an eye roll. Marco knew that Thatch did like Luffy, but the nineteen year old was a lot to handle, and both brothers respected Ace and Sabo for their patience with a brother like Luffy. "Want to eat dinner with me, Marco?" Thatch asked, getting an affirmation from the older brother, who put his things down on the back of the couch.

Luffy bounced on his toes as he watched the stew cook, and once it was done, thanked Thatch and ran out of the house, piling the plastic containers with wraps around them into the basket of his bike.

"Man that kid is a handful," Thatch said as he cleaned up the kitchen before starting up on his and Marco's dinner. "He comes over all the time now. I have no idea how he's not obese and diabetic."

Marco shrugged, but agreed. "I bet Pops would like him. Probably nickname him squirt or something, despite his age."

Thatch chuckled. "I think Pops would like all three of them. We knew Sabo was a good guy since high school, though. Ace was very different, and we didn't even know Luffy existed until recently. Are you excited for Pops to meet her?"

"Yeah, but I'm worried, too. About our dearest brothers making her uncomfortable. You know how everyone is after the whole mess with Vivi and then Pudding. They're all super protective now and I don't want them to scare Ace off," Marco confessed. Thatch gave him a look. "What?"

"You honestly think our rambunctious family will scare Ace off? If she can handle a ball of energy like Luffy, I'm sure she can deal with all of us. Maybe not all at the same time, but I have a feeling things will all work out," Thatch said with a big smile. Marco smiled softly.

"That's what Ace keeps saying."

"And do you believe her?" Thatch asked seriously, but also curiously. Marco looked down, and answered, "I want to. I'm just afraid things will get too intense too soon, y'know? It's stupid…"

Thatch stirred the pasta in the pot and frowned. "It's not stupid, it's a completely waranted fear. But you should just trust in Ace. She's been through a lot and made it out a happy person. Don't underestimate her." Marco nodded, and told him about the possibility of Luffy dropping water balloons on press out of the hall window.

"A public menace, he is," Thatch laughed. Marco chuckled as well. "Honestly, he probably won't care if there are people trying to get to know them. He'd probably enjoy it and annoy everyone away. Ace's personal, strange, guard dog."

The food was simple that night, Thatch not really wanting to cook anything complicated after the hours slaving away with the beef stew. Halfway through the meal, Ace texted Thatch, who read it outloud for Marco.

"'Thanks for the stew. I'm sorry about Luffy'," the cook read.

"I'm surprised Luffy shared and didn't hoard it all to himself," Marco commented. Thatch would have been irritated if Luffy didn't share any of the seven containers of the food. They both knew Luffy would be able to eat all of it in one sitting, but it was good that he shared.

Thatch texted back, _No problem. I'm glad he shared. _

_He ate five and me and Sabo both got one. _

Marco chuckled, neither of them surprised by that outcome. What a handful that guy was. Though, it was always clear that he was special to Ace and Sabo. they loved him dearly, and so he got away with a lot of stuff. Marco had only heard Ace get angry with him about things regarding his hamster, Surume. There hadn't been another incident with him for awhile, so that was good.

-x-

Ace and Marco were at the bookstore, Ace wearing a bright red wig with her freckles covered with concealer. Marco liked her freckles and didn't particularly like this disguise, but he didn't say anything since Ace had fun with it. They were sitting at a table at Starbucks in the book store, talking quietly. Marco had a beanie on this time instead of a baseball hat, and Ace begged him to try a fake beard. The man had been unable to say no, so he had dark and fake stubble taped to his face. Well, no one would recognize him in this getup, that was for sure.

"So, it's my dad's birthday next week, and he's having a party. Do you, um, wanna come? I know we don't want anyone to know yet, but he really wants to meet you. And I can have my siblings who will be there make sure to keep their mouths shut. Pops will tell them to and they'll have to listen to him," Marco said a bit quickly. Ace took another bite of her banana bread before replying.

"Well, we have been dating for almost a month and a half now, and my siblings and Koala know. I'll go with you to your dad's party if you want," she said, bringing a smile to Marco's face. "Should I go in disguise?"

Marco shook his head. "I want them to see _you. _I think the disguises are fun and weird but just you is so much more beautiful," Marco said honestly. He smiled at the blush barely visible under the concealer. It was usually hard to get Ace flustered, as she viewed most things as jokes. Well, when it was appropriate. Never had she joked about something very serious, which Marco was glad of. Especially when they had serious talks, and Ace kept her funny side hidden.

"Trying to make your siblings jealous of your hot girlfriend?" she asked with a sly smile. Marco chuckled.

"Nah, no one would try anything even if they felt jealous. I may have some stick in the mud brothers, but no one is an asshole," Marco replied. "Though your looks did affect Thatch at first, though he doesn't feel about you like I do."

"Oh? And how do you feel about me?" Ace questioned with a grin. It was Marco's turn to blush.

He looked away, not sure if he should tell the truth, not wanting to psu her away, though by now he had a feeling he couldn't do that easily. "Like I was meant to go to the reunion and meet with you again."

Ace sighed happily. "Well good, we feel the same." Marco grinned and took her hands at the table. "Don't worry so much, things will work out," she said when Marco had that flash of doubt come across his face. He was surprised she noticed it so quickly, as he'd tried to hide it immediately. The smile was brought back and he brought one of her smaller hands up and kissed the freckles on her knuckles. Her cheeks tinted red again as they both knew people were watching them at their table. After all, it was relatively busy, and Ace brought attention to herself anyways with her bright red wig.

-x-

After Marco took Ace home in his incognito car, dropping her off in the underground parking, he went home and just laid on the couch, smiling softly at the ceiling. He was just going over their date, so happy and relieved that he wasn't the only one who felt very strong about the other.

He got a message from Thatch after awhile of just thinking and daydreaming about how much the rest of his family would like Ace. He was going to call Pops later that day about telling him that he wished to bring Ace with him to meet everyone.

The message was a photo of the same hamster stuffed animal Luffy had gotten Marco for Christmas. _You're not so special, I got one too. _There was also a photo of a note that had such bad handwriting that Marco was surprised he could read it.

It read: "_Thanks for the yummy food! Ace said not to bother you all the time so I left it here." _

Another text came in from Thatch. _He's actually a pretty sweet kid. _

_Even though he's only three years younger than you?_

… _:0_

Marco chuckled. It was hard to believe Luffy was twenty and not nine. Marco exited out of the messaging and to his number one on speed dial, his father. The man answered quickly, like usual. He didn't really do things on his phone but kept it close in case any of his sons had an emergency. "Marco?"

"Hey, Pops. Can I bring Ace to your birthday celebration?" Marco asked, getting straight to the point. He was not surprised when Whitebeard laughed and told him of course he could. He asked how things had been going with her since they last spoke, which wasn't long ago, but Marco had spent a lot of time with Ace since then. It was convenient neither of them really had a very scheduled job. Hers was usually leisurely and up to whatever she wanted to do, and Marco was on break at the moment, just enjoying the free time he got to spend with Ace.

"Really good, Pops. I know it's only been a month, but I think I'm in love with her," he said honestly, realizing the words were true as he said them. He could almost hear the warm smile Pops was no doubt wearing. "I _am_ in love with her," he corrected confidently, a grin coming to his face.

"Gurararara, I'm glad, son. Is it different than your other relationships so far?" the old man asked curiously, knowing Ace wasn't like Marco's previous partners based on what he had told him about her. It was limited knowledge about her, but with Ace fine with going to meet his family, Marco started talking about their time in depth.

Marco nodded before remembering Pops couldn't see him, and said, "Very different. It almost feels like we're best friends, too. She makes everything into something fun. I don't know how she does it. And then there are sometimes when he talk, she just knows what to say and when to say it. We've talked about what will happen once news of us gets out, and I'm nervous about it but she's not.

"She even suggested her little brother could drop water balloons out of the window and onto the press outside. And you know how I have to go out in disguises sometimes? Well, she makes it into a game where she wears wigs or something else ridiculous to change her appearance," Marco gushed with a smile in his voice. Whitebeard let him talk about Ace for as long as he wanted to, liking the woman even more than before.

Marco hadn't sounded this happy in a very long time. "I look forward to meeting her, son. You sound very happy. I approve already," Whitebeard said with a gruff laugh. "After all, you've been gushing about her for over half an hour."

Marco looked at the clock on his phone and turned a bit pink. "Sorry. I didn't even notice," he said, sounding a bit sheepish. Whitebeard laughed again.

"I like hearing you so happy, Marco," the father said. "She doesn't drink alcohol?" the man asked then, as drinking was going to be prominent at the party no doubt.

Marco replied, "She does drink red wine, but that's it."

"Well, I have some very nice ones in the winery. Why don't we crack that open?" he offered. Marco was thankful he was understanding about it. "I'll tell everyone to not go overboard with the drinking, but because I want them awake for my party, not passed out or throwing up in the bushes."

Marco chuckled. "Sounds like a plan. I think everyone will like her. And if they don't, well, that's too bad for them."

"Gurararara. I look forward to meeting her and having her meet all of your brothers."

"I do, too."

-x-

"_What am I supposed to wear?" _Ace asked the night before Pop's party. She and Marco were talking over the phone, and had been for the last hour. Chopper had had to have surgery after eating a bobby pin, she and had been at the vet's all day, stressed out. She had only called Marco once Chopper was deemed healthy and perfectly fine.

"Wear anything you want. It's nothing formal. Just, no disguise," Marco added.

"_Damn," _Ace replied. Marco chuckled.

"I don't understand why you find it so fun to dress up every time we go out," he said honestly.

"_It's Halloween every time we go out. Of course I have fun with it," _she replied. "_Oh, Luffy got your Pops a present. Everyone is gonna think he's weird…"_

"Well, he is," Marco said, joking but they both knew he meant it. "Pops is entertained by his antics. Thatch has talked to him about it. He really likes the hamster and it now sits on his entertainment stand. "What is it?" he asked curiously.

"_Guess." _

Marco then realized what it must be, and laughed. "I don't think Pops has ever even been in the presence of a hamster." Ace laughed on the other side. "They will definitely think he's silly. But he's grown on Thatch quite a bit. He's such a push over now, honestly."

"_We all are. It's Luffy's magic power. He gets everyone to like him, even if you think he's annoying at first." _Marco heard her yawn over the phone. It was almost eleven. "_I'm gonna go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow morning."_

"Sweet dreams," Marco replied.

"_Yup. Goodnight," _and she hung up. Marco was going to pick her up in the morning and drive her to the estate, as it was out of town a bit for privacy and peace. There were some neighbors, but far apart. Close enough that they could come in an emergency, but not so close you could hear them if they threw a party.

Marco was going to be picking up Thatch and Izo, too, as they were on the way out of town. He was looking forward to Pops meeting Ace most, so he can see what kind of person she is first hand. Marco had told Ace she didn't need to be worried when she expressed that she hoped he liked her. It wasn't insecurity, but she wanted Marco's family to like her like her family liked him.

And he was so happy her family liked him. Next, he had to have her followers approve of him, though it wasn't as important as her immediate family liking him. He was going to be wearing a comfortable dress shirt, already planning on wearing one of the ties she'd bought him for Christmas. They really were different presents than his last partner. She had bought him stocks at Google.

He couldn't wait for tomorrow and went to bed excited.


	5. Caught?

**Some humor in this chapter. Enjoy~**

* * *

Marco picked Ace up first in the morning, who had brought snacks for the long drive to share with Thatch and Izo. He was driving his normal car so it wouldn't bring attention to himself where he was only wearing a hat and no sunglasses. He was doing everything possible to prolong the inevitable person to notice the similarities in him and his disguises.

Thatch and Izo sat in the back seat, their own box of Cheezits while Ace and Marco shared some Gold Fish. Thatch and Izo thought it was hilarious that Luffy bought their Pops a stuffed hamster. Thatch found it especially funny. They assured her that most people didn't bring gifts, and that it was never expected of them so she didn't feel bad for not getting anything.

"I thought really hard about what to get but I couldn't figure out anything," she admitted. Thatch and Izo both picked up on her nervousness, and thought it was cute when Marco put his hand over her fidgeting one on the divider between their seats. Izo snickered and Thatch just smiled.

"You know, I don't think any of us has seen you like this with a partner, Marco," Izo said suddenly. Ace looked interested and turned around, asking what she meant. Marco just kept looking forward as he drove on the highway. They had reached the outer limits of the big city and were coming across the more rural areas and farmlands.

"Marco has had previous girlfriends, but it's never been like this," Izo replied. "He smiles more around you and talks more about you. You're just different than his past partners. In a good way," he was sure to add. Marco's cheeks were a bit red at this. He had never really talked to Ace about his past relationships, since they didn't matter. And Ace had never had a partner before, so it wasn't like she had any jealous exes they needed to talk about.

"Have you ever had anyone like Marco?" Thatch asked curiously after swallowing a mouthful of his crackers.

"No, I've never been in a romantic relationship before," Ace said casually. Thatch and Izo looked startled.

"Really?" Izo asked curiously. When Ace nodded, the longhaired man said, "You don't act like it." Ace gave him a puzzled look and asked what he meant. "Well, you're just too good at this for it to be your first relationship." Marco spoke up, sounding grumpy.

He glanced in the rearview mirror at his brothers in the back seat. "Are you suggesting she's lying?" Izo was quick to defend himself, not wanting his words to have come across wrong.

"No, I'm just really surprised, in a good way. That's all," the man said quickly. Ace didn't get what the big deal about it was.

"I'm only twenty three. And it was just never a good time. I wasn't even interested in romance before Marco," she said honestly. Marco donned a soft smile, which Ace didn't miss and giggled over. The celebrity let the smile slip, embarrassed for being caught. Thatch grinned in the back seat, nudging Izo with wiggly eyebrows. Ace went on the elaborate, "It just seemed like too much work and effort, but it's fun and nice." She and Marco were still holding hands.

Marco was fine with taking it slow, even if his feeling developed very quickly. They hadn't kissed yet, and Marco knew it would mean more to Ace because Marco was her first everything. He wanted to make her enjoy love as much as possible, even though he was enjoying it a lot, too. They both clearly knew they loved each other without even having to say it, but Marco wanted to wait for the right time. And with Ace, it could probably be while doing anything.

When they turned down the long street where their father's estate was connected, Ace looked at the sparsely placed estates with interested eyes. "These are big houses," she said when they passed a four story one that looked more like a castle.

"Well, fifteen children needs a big place. We were only able to be a family because Pops had so much money," Thatch explained. He had devoured all of the Cheezits, and was brushing some crumbs off of his pants.

Marco turned down a road that was framed with trees and drove for a minute before coming across the house, which had many cars parked in front of it. It looked like they were not the last to arrive based on how many cars were there. When Marco parked the car behind a large truck, Ace got out and looked very nervous.

"Does everyone know I'm coming?" she asked, holding Marco's hand and biting her lip nervously.

"Not everyone, just those that RSVP'd after I called Pops and told him I wanted to bring you," Marco answered. He took his hand from Ace's and instead wrapped his arm around her small shoulders. She was wearing a long sleeved shirt with a wide collar, showing off her shoulder freckles that Marco loved. "No need to be nervous, Ace," he reassured.

When they reached the door, it was unlocked as more people would be arriving and having someone answer the door each time would be a hassle. Ace's eyes widened when they went inside. Though the house looked like a castle from the outside, two stories and very long, with dozens of tall windows, the inside was more like a lodge. Warm wooden floors and walls, with a grand fireplace and many couches. Ace slowed as they heard many voices, talking and laughing loudly, but Marco kept them walking at a reasonable pace. "It'll be fine. Usually you're the one reassuring me," Marco said quietly.

When Ace saw Whitebeard, her eyes widened at how impossibly tall he was, but didn't say anything. Marco chuckled at it. "Yeah, he's pretty big." But, despite the old man's size, he had a very warm face and was smiling brightly at his sons. Marco heard Jozu complain about the lack of alcohol, and sighed.

"Please don't judge them when they get drunk," Marco said quietly, making Ace giggle. Everyone turned to them when Pops loudly called out Marco's name. Ace licked her lips nervously when everyone looked to her. It was clear that not everyone knew about their surprise guest.

Marco didn't wait for someone to ask who she was, and loudly said, "This is Ace, my girlfriend." The room was quiet for a moment while everyone stood, shocked. Marco assumed that they would have expected to know about it by now. "We have so far escaped the eyes of the public," he stated simply, clearing up many thoughts.

"Hi, nice to meet you," Ace said politely, looking nervous to nearly everyone. But, they didn't react to it and instead went up to her and introduced themselves. Many were quite a bit larger than Ace was, but not as big as their father, who was sitting in a very large and comfortable looking chair.

"I won't be able to remember everyone's names," she said as more people introduce themselves. Some laughed.

"When I was adopted, I couldn't remember anyone's names for over a week," Marco said with a grin, happy to finally show the people he cares about the woman he knew he loved. Ace shook everyone's hands, some completely dwarfing hers, like Jozu's hand. More Newgates arrived, and Ace was introduced to more and more people.

They were all very surprised when someone recognized her. Vista came over, and said, "Fire Fist Ace?" in a surprised voice. Most of them had no idea what that meant, but Ace and Marco turned around to look at Vista, who wore a top hat like Sabo.

"You know about her?" Marco asked in surprise. Vista nodded with a smile.

"My daughter really likes your videos," Vista said, bringing a smile to Ace's face. Since no one else knew what the heck Vista was talking about, he explained that his daughter, Mocha, watched Ace's YouTube channel. Of course, everyone knew what YouTube was, and asked all sorts of questions. Ace didn't know what to answer or say first, and Vista took pity on her and explained what kind of videos she made that his daughter really liked.

Ace grinned about hearing she had a fan who really liked her videos. "I'd be glad to meet her sometime," she said with a bright smile. No one missed Marco holding her hand and running his thumb along it slowly and gently. When he got all of the teasing looks, his face went slightly pink, not realizing they all noticed his mannerisms.

His attention was drawn from Ace talking to Vista about Anna to Thatch, who was handing the badly wrapped present to the man of the party. "It's from Ace's brother. He's a bit of an idiot." Whitebeard chuckled, and Marco realized he hadn't gotten to say anything to Ace yet, and he was the one Marco wanted to get to know Ace the most.

"Ace, come meet Pops," Marco said. Ace nodded and, looking much more comfortable and confident, walked with Marco through the crowd of curious brothers to the father. He gave Ace a very warm smile, like it wasn't the first time they'd met. And for him, it kind of wasn't. Marco had told the man all about her.

"It's nice to meet you, Ace. Marco has told me a lot about you," Whitebeard said with a fond smile to her. "I want to thank you for making my son so happy." Marco blushed furiously next to her when she sent him a sly and amused look. Thatch and Izo chuckled, while many of the other brothers smiled, too, knowing Marco had had a hard time with his previous girlfriends. When Kingdew crossed his arms and looked at her in a suspicious manner, though she didn't see it, Marco heard Thatch step up to him and say, "Don't worry, bro. Things are different this time around. We all agree she's very different from the others."

Marco sent Kingdew a look, showing he agreed with Thatch and he wasn't just saying that to appease the grumpy man. "My brother got you a present," Ace said. "Oh, you already have it," she mumbled when Whitebeard held up the tiny gift and having forgotten about it. She noticed there were no other gifts, and Marco could tell she was glad she hadn't bought anything. To say everyone were confused with the stuffed hamster was an understatement. Even more confused when the four know knew the significance of it chuckled.

"Luffy is Ace's younger brother. He has a hamster that he lost once and we all went to try and find it. I found him, and so he gave me a stuffed hamster for Christmas," Marco explained.

"He gave one to me, too, because he likes my cooking," Thatch added.

"That's why you weren't here for the Christmas party! Hey, why didn't you tell any of us sooner?" Haruta whined, upset he hadn't been in the loop that his other brothers had been in. Marco explained that they wanted privacy before the whole world learns about them. It made sense to the others, understanding things would be different this time than the last, as Ace wasn't a household name.

Haruta still pouted, grumpy for not knowing. The party continued, and Marco was glad with his siblings' reactions to her. They didn't seem to scare her off at all, and only one seemed openly pessimistic about the whole thing, though Marco knew Kingdew meant well. Vista came over to talk with Ace some more about his daughter while Marco sat next to Whitebeard and smiled as Ace easily interacted with some of his siblings. He could tell she was thankful someone already knew about her and she hadn't had to explain about her career.

"I'd be more than happy to meet her," Ace said politely on the couch. As the brothers did their best not to drink themselves under the table, as Pops had requested they not, Marco was glad to see Ace didn't seem bothered by others having alcohol around her. Though it was nowhere near as bad as it usually was.

Thatch had left and wandered to the kitchen, unable to help himself as he had learned to cook in this kitchen and it was one of his favorite places. Marco was happy to sit with his father quietly. "She's a looker, you were right," Whitebeard said. Marco chuckled.

"Aren't her freckles the best part?" Marco asked quietly, not wanting Ace to hear him.

"Very endearing," Pops agreed. "I don't see anything in common between her and Pudding," the big man observed. He looked down and laughed at the tie. "Nice tie," he gruffly said. Marco looked down, having forgotten all about it.

"Ace is a nerd. Our first date was watching movies at my place," Marco explained. When Ace was approached by Haruta, who was _still _pouting, Ace struck a conversation with him and asked all about Marco as a little kid. Marco didn't stop Haruta from telling Ace about embarrassing stories. He knew much about her past, why not let her know more of his?

"You're not going to stop him telling Ace about you being a crybaby?" Izo asked once he came over to talk to the father, too.

"Nah, Ace won't judge," Marco said simply. Izo smiled.

"Well, that is true, isn't it?"

Marco remembered introducing his past lovers to his family. They had both been somewhat respectful, but hadn't branched off on their own to interact with the others. They had mostly stuck with Marco and asked him for cues about what to do or say.

The man did look a bit apprehensive when Curiel offered Ace a can of beer. She politely declined, saying she didn't drink. "Really?"

"Really," she replied pleasantly. Curiel shrugged and some of the others in the vicinity frowned, wondering how someone could completely abstain from alcohol. They had always been a family that drank a lot, though never the minors. Being one of the youngest, Marco had always found it annoying that everyone but him and his three other younger brothers hadn't been allowed to.

After awhile, Marco went to the couch and joined the massive card game of BS. Ace had a great poker face, and won. She laughed. "I lied every time," she said to Marco, who chuckled. Soon, everyone was playing card games, and Marco loved how Ace just fit right in with his precious family. He shouldn't have been so nervous, and had no faith in the woman he loved.

Thatch had made dinner with the other cooks, even if they had been planning on ordering pizza, with all of the food already in the kitchen. Marco had a feeling Pops had filled the kitchen for that exact reason, knowing his son would want to make something even if he hadn't planned to. The father and Marco shared a look, the older man giving an amused grin, knowing he'd been caught.

"Ace, I made some left overs for Luffy," Thatch said when he collected the plates spread all around the great room and dining room. Ace chuckled and thanked him.

"Luffy will feel honored," the woman said with a smile.

"So~, Ace, how do you feel about Marco being a famous celebrity?" Haruta asked, a bit tipsy. Many of the others listened closely, probably still thinking that Ace might be in it for the money. Marco smiled, knowing they'd be proven wrong.

She leaned against Marco's arm and said, "I was really happy for him when his first movie came out and was a hit. I didn't see it in theaters or anything, but he really liked acting in high school, so I'm glad he's become successful." Marco finally saw Kingdew, in the corner of his eyes, look at Ace in approval.

"You don't care about the money?" Harta asked. Marco frowned.

"Nope," Ace answered simply and truthfully. It was getting dark out and started to snow while everyone talked and mingled. Thatch and Izo served out hot chocolate, some having some alcohol added to it, and the room was full of warmth, both literal and emotional. Marco was glad he was able to introduce Ace to _everyone _all at once.

He was in such a good mood that he didn't even snap at Thatch to not brag about what a love-struck puppy Marco was. It was true, and made Ace smile, so that was good enough. They were about to leave when Ace got a call, though it was on vibrate. "Hang on," she said and got up to walk to the hallway so she could hear better. Marco heard Luffy's loud voice on the other end before Ace shushed him.

When Ace came back, it was late enough that people were starting to leave and make the long journey home, while others were staying the night in their old bedrooms. Marco, Ace, Thatch and Izo were all getting their things to leave. "It was nice meeting you, Ace. Hope to see you again sometime soon," Whitebeard called.

"You, too. Happy birthday," Ace said with a genuine smile. Marco gave him a hug and walked to the car with Ace, his two youngest brothers following. Thatch had the leftovers for Luffy in a plastic container. Since Marco hadn't had any alcohol, as he was the designated driver, he was the one to drive them home, dropping off Izo and Thatch at their house and apartment first. Ace had dozed off in the driver's seat, head repeatedly bumping the window but not waking up. He would call the night a success, but honestly wasn't surprised by the outcome. Despite Ace's former shyness and withdrawal from everyone, now she was frankly a social butterfly.

Wearing his hat and sunglasses, even at night, he carried Ace to her front door, the container of food resting on her stomach. "Ace, we're at your place," Marco said, waking her up. She was very tired, and had once told him driving makes her sleepy. He knocked on the door and Sabo opened it, seeing an exhausted looking Ace.

"Hey, Marco," Sabo greeted, taking the container and helping the sleepy woman inside. "Did your dad like Luffy's gift?" Marco chuckled and said yes. "Goodnight Ace," he called as Ace shuffled inside.

"G'night, love you," she mumbled casually and walked to her bedroom. She didn't even notice she'd told Marco she loved him. Sabo had his eyebrows lifted.

"Not the way you expected that to happen," he said, amused by the blush on Marco's cheeks. "Goodnight, Marco."

As Marco walked to the car, he whispered, "I love you, too." He wasn't afraid to say it to her anymore, knowing she had said it first and hadn't even noticed it. Man, how tired was she? He drove home in a daze, and happily fell asleep in his bed, clothes on but tie loosened.

-x-

It was snowing and Marco and Ace were in the park, making snowmen along with some children playing with their parents watching them from the benches. The date had originally been a walk in the park, but when Ace suggested they build some sculptures, Marco couldn't deny her, and so here they were, building ugly snowmen with little kids.

It had been a couple days since the party and Ace's impromptu declaration of love she didn't even remember, and Marco was in no hurry to say it first, but also wasn't afraid of her dragging it on. He knew how she felt, and was able to ward off the part of him that thought she might have just been saying what she said to her brothers every night before bed, but Sabo hadn't said anything about it since Ace hadn't brought it up.

After getting bored with building ugly snowmen, Ace and Marco then started a snowball fight. Ace was wearing a blue wig today, and now it was just getting ridiculous, but Ace thoroughly enjoyed dressing up. Marco stuck with the hat and glasses. She had become so dedicated to her wigs that she now had professional wig glue to keep them securely on her head.

When a snowball hit Marco in the face and knocked his sunglasses off, he hurriedly put them back on, looking around and acting very suspicious. But, no one had seemed to see, and Ace apologized. "Is our secret safe still?" she asked quietly.

"Don't see any flashes, so I assume so," he said and suddenly took a handful of snow and pulled the back of the neck of her shirt back and dumped it down her back. She screeched at the coldness and grabbed a handful of snow and shoved it down his shirt, running away cackling as he chased her with a grin on. She was jumping up and down trying to get the snow out of her clothes, though didn't seem particularly mad at Marco for doing it.

After they both tired of the running around, and the snow was not affecting them anymore, both of them headed to the vendors at the park that were serving warm drinks, and both got a coffee. "Hey, Marc, did I say something embarrassing the other night? When I fell asleep and went home?" She called him Marc when they were in public, and it made Marco happy it had been so easy to catch on. He called her Anne, just to play along.

"Why do you ask?" he wondered. Ace explained that Sabo had told her she said something that made Marco's night. He wondered if he should say anything, but he also didn't want to lie. So, he told the truth.

"You told me you loved me. I didn't have the chance to say it back because you went to bed," he answered. Her face turned red, bringing color to her light and dark freckled cheeks, as she wasn't wearing any concealer over them that day.

Instead of replying, she walked up to him and kissed him on the lips, though it was a chaste kiss, and made Marco's face flame up, but wear a smile. There was nothing that needed to be said as he took her hand and they walked deeper into the park in comfortable silence.

-x-

Three days later, Marco woke up to Ace's notification ringing on his phone. He had fallen asleep on the couch the night before, and was glad to have Ace wake him up instead of the massive firestorm he'd be getting not much later.

He opened his phone and saw, _BUSTED _with a link to a photo of him and Ace, both disguised, and sharing the kiss in the park. The color drained from Marco's face as he looked at the article.

_Celebrity Marco Newgate seen in disguise in public with a mysterious woman. Both wore disguises, and were both snowball fighting in the park before Marco's disguise came off. He and the mystery woman seemed very close, even sharing a kiss. _

He had started to freak out, more upset than he had been in a long time, but Ace knew what to do. A few minutes after the message, another one came, and it was a photo Ace took this time. He assumed Sabo had taken the photo, as she was in her pajamas, with a blanket tied around her neck like a cape with a blank mask on. Luffy held two pieces of paper with big black question marks on it behind her. It was captioned: MYSTERY WOMAN. She held her fist to her chest in a pledge stance, the wig thrown on sloppily.

Marco laughed out loud, long and noisily.

_We'll be okay. Love you._

-x-

Marco had become unused to being in the media for the last month or so not being in work, so he had to get used to his phone going off a lot all day again. The break had been nice, but he knew it would end eventually. Besides, his movie was premiering in three days anyways. He would have been mainstream again regardless.

The tabloids and Twitter were a storm of speculation about who the mystery woman could be, and every time Marco read those two words, he laughed from Ace's photo. No one was able to connect the dots to who Ace was, thanks to the wig and camera angle. After Marco was outed, it was easy to see past his disguise and everyone knew it was him. Maybe he should have gone with a wig like Ace did.

Marco looked outside to see there were people in front of the building, going to make it impossible for him to leave without being spotted. His Twitter went off constantly, and he wanted to mute the damn thing. He wasn't going to reply to any of them anyways. Many of his siblings had asked if he was alright, and if he and Ace were going to be okay. He sent each one of them her staged photo.

_What a keeper, _Haruta had messaged back. And Marco had to agree.

His siblings worried about him and Ace and how their relationship would hold up, since they'd all taken a liking to her. But they all knew it was new to Ace, since she wasn't a celebrity. Would she be okay under the stress? How would Marco handle it?

But, Ace insisted that they would be okay, and Marco chose to believe her. Knowing he was upset and nervous, she began a sort of series. Her as "Mystery Woman" doing daily things, and having captions like "Mystery woman, doing her duty to cook breakfast". She clearly wasn't actually cooking as she had that blank faced mask on that Marco had to wonder where she got something so creepy.

It was much later in the day that Marco got the first tweet from one of his exes, and it just made him groan. He didn't even open it before deleting it, not wanting to talk to either of them. He was happy now, happier than he'd ever been with them, and didn't want any part of them back in his life. Even if it could have been something nice. He didn't need that.

A few news sources messaged him, asking for an interview, but he declined since it was on the subject of the woman he had been with. If it were about his movie, then he might have accepted, but he didn't want an interview about him and Ace, when he would say nothing anyway.

Later in the day, having been trapped at home with the press outside and not wanting to go out if it wasn't to see Ace, he called his girlfriend.

"_How you holding up?" _was Ace's answer. She wasn't even surprised he called. He sighed, glad to hear her voice was nice and calm, not giving away that she could have been secretly panicking herself.

"I'm nervous, and stuck inside. It was going to end up like this again regardless of the leak, but it's weird to get used to again to be honest. How are you doing? About the whole thing?" Marco questioned.

"_We're doing fine. Having fun with the whole 'mystery woman' thing. Luffy is thinking of formations of water attacks to the press if they bug us. I think Luffy would be seen as a public menace, my personal guard dog that fights back with being annoying. I was thinking of having some fun with this, if you want to, too," _Ace said. He could hear Luffy and Sabo shouting in the background curses at each other. "_Don't mind them, they're playing video games," _Ace added as Marco heard a door close and the shouting fade away.

"I'm glad. What do you have in mind? And your photo saved me," Marco said, feeling calmer at once after hearing Ace so calm.

"_It would be fun to play to this whole 'mystery woman' thing. I'll wear a different wig every time. It sounds fun, and you could act like it's totally normal that my appearance keeps changing," _she proposed.

"It will just be delaying the inevitable, but it sounds interesting," Marco replied. "You could even wear a mask." He couldn't believe he was playing along with something like this. He had never been a childish person, but it was like Ace pulled out his inner kid. Like with the snowmen and snowball fight. He hadn't had a snowball fight since he was a kid.

"_That's the spirit!" _she laughed. She and Marco talked for a couple hours, even while both of them were cooking their own dinners, they were on speakerphone and Marco heard for the first time what a filthy mouth Sabo could have. He and Luffy were very into whatever game they were playing, and Ace had to tell them to quiet down multiple times.

"_Do you wanna hang out tomorrow?" _Ace asked. "_I already did my video yesterday and I'm kinda bored. We don't have to go anywhere, we could just watch movies or something," _Ace offered. It sounded good for Marco, as he wanted to see her, but there was the problem of how she would get to him, which he voiced.

"_Don't worry, I have a plan. I'll come over at noon." _Marco didn't question whatever she was going to do, looking forward to her plan. Ace was smart, she wouldn't do something pointless and stupid that would jeapordize their joke on the press for however long they could keep it up.

-x-

Marco waited by his phone at noon, wondering when Ace was going to come over, and how she was going to get there. He was about to call her when it was 12:00 sharp and a buzz came from the device that connected to the door that would let someone in.

"_Pizza delivery for Marco Newgate," _Ace's voice said cheerfully. He could hear people telling her to get out of the way when the door would buzz open. "_I'm just doing my job, ma'am," _Ace said to a particularly nasty sounding girl.

"Well, that was quicker than anticipated," Marco said and buzzed her in. He ran to the wall window and looked down to see someone in red enter the building below. It didn't take long for a knock on the door to sound and there was Ace, in a red outfit with a hat that had a Domino's logo on it, holding a large box of pizza.

Marco laughed and let her in, looking around to make sure no one was out there and saw her enter and come inside completely. But, Marco's nearest neighbors had known about Ace for awhile, that she came over and stayed over quite often. They never ratted him out, and he had thanked them for it.

Ace walked in, wearing a blonde wig under the hat, and set the pizza down. Marco had no idea how she did it, but there was a smaller pizza inside the large pizza box that also roomed a couple DVDs and snacks. "Movie date today. The pizza delivery disguise probably won't work again since I'm never coming out, but I'll figure something else out," Ace said cheerfully, pulling off the wig that she had just thrown on messily under the hat.

"Where did you get this outfit? And the pizza box?" Marco asked, shocked about how much she'd pulled together the plan in less than a day and had executed it perfectly.

Ace beamed. "Well, I already had this red clothing, and I used a 3D pen to draw the design on the hat. We had an extra large pizza the other day and so I went into the recycling and just took the extra large box and put the smaller pizza that I ordered inside. I think I pulled it off quite well, if I do say so myself," she said brightly. "Now, we have movies to watch."

Ace ended up staying the whole day, after they'd long since finished the movies she'd brought, and eventually ended up watching the Lord of The Rings movies until one in the morning. Neither had even noticed it got that late, and by the time Marco realized what time it was, Ace had fallen asleep on the couch.

Marco was exhausted and didn't feel safe driving her home, but he wasn't sure what to do, and was surprised to not have been called by Sabo or Luffy. So, not knowing what to do, he reluctantly called Sabo.

"_Hello?" _Sabo asked, sounding completely awake.

"Hey, Sabo, it's Marco. Ace fell asleep and I'm not sure what I should do," Marco said after stifling a yawn.

"_Oh, she said she might end up staying the night to make sure you don't feel any stress. Don't you have a spare bedroom? Or she'll be perfectly fine sleeping on the couch I'm sure,_" the brother explained. Marco was speechless for a moment.

"What about sleep things? Pyjamas and toothbrush, stuff like that?" Marco asked.

"_She often falls asleep in her day clothes, and she has toiletries in her purse. She didn't talk to you about this?" _Sabo asked, genuinely sounding surprised.

Marco sat down on the recliner and looked at Ace with a soft smile as she slept, hugging a pillow to her chest. "We didn't realize how late it was while watching movies, and she just fell asleep. So, she'll be fine here? I don't want to make her feel uncomfortable." Sabo laughed.

"_I think you're far past that, Marco. Goodnight," _and he hung up. Marco didn't really know what to make of the call, but was glad that Ace trusted him enough to stay over and not worry about anything happening.

Ace intended to stay the entire day and night to make sure Marco wasn't alone and stressed about what was happening. He bit his lip, smiling widely. He didn't want Ace to sleep on the couch, that was what the guest bedroom was for. He gently picked her up and carried her to the spare room. She wrapped her arms around his neck and mumbled something. He pulled the covers back and tried to untangle her from him, but she didn't want to let go. He finally unwrapped her arms, trying his best not to laugh and wake her up, and tucked her in. she looked perfectly happy and slept on.

This wasn't how he was expecting her first night to stay over, but it felt right. Of course Ace would end up sleeping over while trying to make sure he stayed happy. And it had worked. Despite his phone going off constantly, Ace had put it on vibrate and had kept him distracted the entire day and night. What did he ever do to deserve her?

-x-

Marco woke up before Ace the next day, and decided to pay her back for taking all the precautions to stick around all day for him, and made her breakfast. "Ace, wake up," he said as he set down a tray that had eggs, bacon, and pancakes on it for both of them to eat. She groggily blinked her eyes open in the sunlight coming from the window. Her hair was a mess, but it was endearing. She looked so not perfect that it was perfect.

"Ah! I fell asleep," she said, sitting up, grinning at the food in front of her. "What's with the breakfast in bed? Oh, this bed is very comfortable. Wait, what happened last night?" Marco chuckled.

"You fell asleep after the last movie. It was 1 AM and I didn't feel comfortable driving, so I called Sabo. You could have told me you intended to sleep over," Marco teased.

"I was going to, but I got distracted by the movies. Sorry. I just wanted to make sure I kept you happy and stress free. It worked, didn't it?" she asked with a sly smile. He blushed and smiled back.

"Yeah, it did," he replied. They both happily ate the food, talking about small things, just enjoying each other's company. When Marco took the plates and tray back to the kitchen, Ace headed into the guest bathroom and tried to make her hair manageable without a brush.

Marco went to the window wall and looked down to see there were some people, but not many. Ace came up behind him and look out the window. "This would be the perfect angle to drop some water balloons," she said casually. Marco chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "What do you want to do today?" she asked. "I have to go shopping for groceries later, and that would probably be easier done by myself, but that can wait for awhile. Oh, and I have to take Chopper on a walk."

"Hmm, I don't know. I'm gonna have to talk to my agent about the movie premiering this week and the red carpet showing, along with the talk show people who will no doubt want to hold interviews," Marco listed. "I finally have to get back to work." He sounded a bit sad about it.

Ace smiled. "I'll always be around, most likely. I mean, my career is YouTube, pretty much the freest job you could get." Marco smiled back and kissed her forehead softly. She ended up leaving to go home and shower and change, as she hadn't brought a change of clothes. They both decided to do the things they needed to do and then meet up for dinner somewhere, Marco possibly going without disguise so Ace can wear hers and continue the saga of "Mystery Woman".

Marco called his agent a bit after Ace had left, sitting on the couch, the pillow Ace hadn't wanted to let go of the night before next to him. "_Hey, Marco, I was actually going to call you today," _Marco's agent, Anthony, said happily. They hadn't talked in awhile, but they would be now since the movie premiered soon.

"Nice to talk to you again, Anthony." He had been Marco's agent from the start, and made sure that Marco took part in quality roles, no matter if they weren't the complete main character. Marco had gotten an award for being a side character. Being the main wasn't always the goal. "Have you heard about my 'mystery woman'?" he asked in an amused voice.

"_I have. Congratulations, you looked quite happy. Mind if I ask who she is?" _Anthony asked. Marco knew he wouldn't tell anyone, but Marco didn't want to spoil Ace's fun.

"She wants to keep her identity hidden for awhile, just to have some fun. She's very different than my last girlfriend. I'm very happy with her," Marco said, a smile clear in his voice. The agent understood and didn't push it, knowing he'd find out eventually, and wanted Marco to continue being happy. Even if Marco was his boss, the two were friends.

The two talked for quite some time, Anthony having already lined up a list of interviews with mainstream media and talk show hosts for after the movie dropped. "_Are you going to bring your partner to the red carpet showing?" _

Marco wasn't sure yet, though Ace would most likely be okay with it considering she could still toy with everyone and wear her disguise. Marco would find it funny, too. "It depends on what she wants to do," Marco replied. He would end up going regardless, but he hoped Ace would come with him, make it special for their first appearance in the public eye, even if Ace was still going to hide her identity.

He couldn't wait to see the frenzy his fans would go into to try and figure out who his new lover was. With how many dedicated fans he had amassed just by his looks, since he didn't let out very many personal aspects of his life to the public, they would desperately want to know who stole his heart.

The schedule for his interviews was rigorous, but it always was at first, and he was used to it. He was a main character in this movie, and so would be the most popular of them regarding interviews and starring on talk shows. He hoped Ace liked his movie, but even if she didn't, Marco knew she would never hurt his feelings about it.

"I'll see you soon, Anthony. It was nice talking again."

"_Likewise, and congrats on finding someone new to love," _the agent said and hung up.

-x-

Ace and Marco went to Ace's favorite Chinese restaurant, wearing a brown wig today and sunglasses, freckles covered up, as she said they were too recognizable, even though Marco wished he could see them. But, Ace had told him she prepared for that, and was wearing a wide neck shirt to show the shoulder freckles she knew Marco loved.

Marco wore a limited disguise, just a baseball hat. He was very recognizable, and brought some customers who recognized him over to ask for his autograph. A few young girls came over, and asked to take a picture with Marco, which he gladly did. Ace was smiling at it, eating her food happily and ignoring the stares she was given.

"Are you Marco's new girlfriend?" one of the teen fans asked curiously. Ace nodded. "Who are you?" she asked, her phone out and no doubt ready to expose who the mystery woman was.

"Try to figure it out," Ace said with an amused grin. A look of determination filled the two girls, and Marco knew that they would be the first to start the movement to find out who Marco's new lover was. They left when their food was done, staring at Ace a long time to try and figure out who the heck she was. Marco assumed everyone would assume she was another famous celebrity.

"Do you want to go to the red carpet showing with me next week? We can see my movie together, too," Marco asked on the car ride back to Ace's place. They took a detour to lose a car following them from the restaurant.

"Can I still be in disguise? This is going to be fun," Ace said with a mischievous grin. Marco chuckled.

"Yeah, you can still be the mystery woman. I just want you to come with me for it. Bring the woman I love, even if she is still going to hide her identity," Marco replied. Ace chuckled. "So, it didn't bother you at all? Having people come up to us for autographs and pictures?" Ace shook her head, scratching at her wig. It was one of the early ones she got and so not the best quality.

"No, remember at the bookstore, where you had to wait while I had _my _fans come up to me? I know what it feels like a little, though I'm not nearly as well known as you are. It doesn't bother me, and they were all pretty nice," Ace answered.

Marco frowned a bit, but lost it before Ace saw, who was looking out the window as they drove through the bright streets to Ace's place the long way. "The press can be relentless, much different than the fans, who vary in intensity," Marco warned, feeling the apprehension that Ace had been trying to keep away for as long as possible.

"Marco, don't worry. There's always water balloons," she joked. "It'll be okay. And I won't stop saying that, so get used to it." Marco smiled softly. "Luffy thinks that it would be really fun, and Sabo just said what happens happens, so they don't hate you or you being famous or anything. They're just so glad I'm happy."

When they reached the underground garage, Marco dropped her off instead of walking her up since he only had a hat and no sunglasses. The actor kissed her and made sure she made it inside before leaving, a small smile on his face.

-x-

The two girls had tweeted about the event, and soon Twitter was aflame with speculation. There weren't many pictures of Ace, as the two fans had been nice enough not to snap any photos of Ace. All there was was the initial photos of her and Marco at the park, Ace wearing the blue wig. A new hashtag was formed, #WhoIsMysteryWoman? and it was trending the next day.

Ace had sent him a photo in the morning of Mystery Woman brushing her teeth, wearing the mask and scrubbing a toothbrush where the mouth should be. "Mystery Woman returns to brush her teeth," the caption read. Marco chuckled. Ace was so silly.

By the end of the day, a new Twitter account was made, Ace toying with the public so much by naming the account "Marco's Mystery Woman", and posted her saga of photos, along with some sketch drawings she'd made. Ace was very careful with the photos to not give anything away. Neither of her brothers were in the photos, and she made sure to hide her face each time.

People thought it was fake until Marco started following it, and then the account blew up, talked about on tabloids and online articles on fan websites. Marco liked each photo, and left a few comments on some of them. No one seemed especially angry about it, and it became an internet sensation that had fans speculating with each other, desperate to know who Ace was.

Some speculated that it was one of his past girlfriends, but photo comparisons were made, comparing the heights of Pudding and Ace in the photos, and it was debunked quickly. Marco wasn't getting constant messages anymore as the fans took it upon themselves to discover who Ace was by themselves.

Plus, Marco had tweeted that he wasn't going to reveal the mystery woman, saying "figure it out," a challenge that was accepted by all. Some more comparison photos were made and it pissed off a certain ex. A picture of Marco with Pudding near the end of their relationship was posted side by side to the picture of Marco grinning and putting snow behind Ace's shirt. The one with Pudding showed him wearing a deep frown, and not holding hands, while Pudding had a pinched look on her face.

_This is completely disrespectful, _Pudding had commented on the photo. _We were happy at first before MarcoNewgate messed everything up. _

Marco had sighed at it. Marco had done everything to keep them together before he finally couldn't handle the nitpicking and rudeness anymore, along with the disrespect towards his family, and had gently broken up with her, while she had thrown a fit and was really rude talking about him on TV interviews. Luckily, most people saw what had happened and put the pieces together that Pudding had been the one at fault.

He had been so glad his reputation hadn't been ruined. And he trusted Ace to not believe what Pudding had said, if she even saw it. Pudding had made the break up a living hell.

By the end of the day, Ace had a legion of followers on her new page, though not as many as her main channel, the FireFistAce one. Some of the followers began making requests for her Mystery Woman series. And she gladly did so, clearly having a blast with it. Marco's favorite was "Mystery Nerd", where she had reading glasses put over the mask and was reading a math textbook.

Many of Marco's siblings thought the whole thing was hilarious, and almost all fourteen of them were following the page by the end of the first day. Everytime something new came out, it brought a smile to Marco's face. They didn't see each other that day after all, since Luffy had hurt his finger and he and Ace went to the hospital to see if it was broken and it took a long time to be seen.

But, the finger was fine, just jammed, and was going to have a brace on it to get better. Ace had taken Chopper on a run later that day, which the dog was ecstatic about. When Marco had gone to Ace's house, Chopper had approved of him, but generally started to dislike him the more he came over. Marco had a feeling the dog was jealous of Ace showing him so much attention when he would go over.

-x-

Ace's newest video was another Q&A, though it was shorter than the last one since it had many repeat questions of the previous one. A lot of the questions had come from young children this time, which was a surprise, since Ace's videos were mostly very emotionally heavy. But, she gladly answered questions about her book, and she even went into detail about her favorite toys as a child, unable to resist answering the little kids who used their parents' accounts to message her. She had put at the beginning of the video that it would be answering mostly children this time.

It was something new for her, and she enjoyed it quite a bit. She hadn't been teased in elementary school, so most of her recollections from then were happy. Marco watched it, now comfortable to watch her videos without feeling guilty.

Marco was surprised with the hint she gave, which was very small, and said, "I'll be having someone very special coming on some time once the time is right, and it'll surprise everyone," she teased, winking before ending the video. Marco had talked about wanting to meet her fans, or at least promise on camera he'd take good care of Ace.


	6. First Public Appearance (technically)

**A silly chapter with some emotional moments thrown in. Yes, Ace is quite ridiculous lol.**

* * *

The next day, Ace was out of town, so Marco went to see Thatch and Izo, who were both at Izo's place. Ace was at an event with her anti-bullying organization, which had been on a break with events for awhile, which was why Ace had had so much free time. Both Marco and her would be busier now, but Marco didn't doubt that everything would still be fine. They both had jobs, very different ones, but it's what adults do.

The minute Marco entered Izo's nice, three bedroom apartment, Thatch said, "You have to marry Ace. you have to keep her forever, she is the best." Marco blushed, but agreed that Ace was a keeper. Though, marriage was much too soon to think about. "I can't believe how hilarious she is!"

Izo was at the table, making Ace a dress and Marco a nice tux for the red carpet that Ace said she would come to as long as she didn't need to show her face. She had sent Izo her measurements, and insisted that she pay for the materials, but Izo was less of a pushover than Marco, and refused.

It was Izo's choice to make the dress, so he'd be paying for the materials and supplies needed. After all, Izo was a professional costume designer, and part of Marco's permanent team, making his clothes for all of his movies. The dress was red, collaborating with the blonde wig Ace was planning on wearing. The dress was very pretty, strapless and very simplistic. It had little gems on the front and along the top of the dress on the chest area.

It went down to the calves, and Izo had even designed shoes for her, though they weren't heels, as Ace had told him she wasn't good at walking in them. Ace would be even prettier in the dress if she was showing her black hair. He was nervous about the event, as it was going to be very different than his previous ones where he went alone or with Pudding. It had been years since he went with someone.

Thatch talked about Ace's new page for a long time, finding it one of the funniest things ever. "I wish I could get a partner who was so funny and silly," the chef pouted. Izo chuckled.

"Go out and scout on YouTube," the black haired man suggested. Thatch frowned.

"That's only movie logic. Ace and Marco are like, from a romance movie or something," the cook said. "It seems almost fake its so perfect." Marco frowned at him at the wording. Ace was anything but fake. Thatch noticed that his comment came across negatively, and clarified that he meant it was just so abnormally perfect.

"I still can't believe it's her first relationship," Izo said as he sewed, glasses on so he could see closer. He liked to sew by hand and not by a machine, though it took longer, he felt he had more control doing it by hand. "Everyone really likes her, Marco. So, you have your family's approval."

Marco was really happy with that. "It feels like I've known her for forever," Marco admitted, a soft smile on his face. "There's not a dull moment with her, and I'm actually more nervous about the whole 'everybody knows' thing than she is. I don't know how she stays so calm about it." He sighed. "And I'm a bit jealous, too."

"Well, think about it. We know her past, and what she went through and how she overcame it. Fighting off the press would be easier than fighting off yourself, right? She picked herself up, and is brave enough to share her experiences with the world to help others. I don't know if I'd be able to announce to the world that all that happened if it were me," Izo said. Marco hadn't thought about it like that. He did think she was stronger by what she went through, but never really compared the two situations. "Though, I could be wrong."

Thatch made both of them lunch while Marco filled them in on where Ace was that day. "It's a race for anti-bullying. You know she's athletic, so she'd running in it. I wish I could have gone, too, but it would have blown everything and brought attention to it that she might not want," Marco explained.

"Well, once everyone knows, you can do stuff in public with her, right? Though she will probably miss the disguising," Izo replied. "There, I'm done," he said, and held the dress up. It was very elegant. "I already finished your outfit, too, Marco."

"Thanks a lot, Izo. They look really good."

"Of course they do," Izo replied confidently. "Now all I have to do is style Ace's chosen wig." He got right to it, going into the room that held all of his supplies when they weren't at the set of whatever movie Marco was working on. He came back out with a mannequin head and the blonde, good quality wig.

Marco watched in interest as he easily styled the wig in a beautiful bun so all Ace had to do was put it on and she was ready to go. Ace had declined any jewelry, as beads on the dress were more than enough glam for her liking. A main thing she wanted everyone to know was that she wasn't in this relationship for the money. That she loved Marco, and that was the only reason. So, she didn't want to look too materialistic, even when she was supposed to look so.

The event was the day after tomorrow, and Marco was planning on seeing her tomorrow and briefing for her what to expect once they arrive there. She did seem a bit nervous, but also excited. Marco felt the same.

Marco hung out with his brothers most of the day, watching movies and talking about things that weren't only Ace related. When someone knocked on the door, the three brothers looked surprised, not expecting anyone. Izo opened the door, and Marco was surprised to hear Ace's voice.

"Ace, we weren't expecting you," Izo said as he lead Ace inside, closing the door behind them. Ace was carrying a plastic box of brownies, and set it down on the counter.

"I can't stay too long, Luffy wants me to get him some pain medicine for his finger, but I have too many brownies from the event and wanted to give some to you guys. They were baked by one of the parents of one of the girls that attended," she explained. She was still wearing running leggings and a purple hoodie. She smiled at Marco when he grinned at seeing her.

"Did you win?" Thatch asked.

"It wasn't about winning, but no, I didn't. A twelve year old beat everyone," Ace replied. She brought the brownies to the couch. "They're really yummy," and gave one to each of the brothers. She was right, they were delicious. Mint and dark chocolate. "I didn't get the recipe, but I thought you guys would like them."

She walked up to Marco and gave him a kiss, telling him she'd see him tomorrow, and left. It was a quick visit, but Marco was glad to see her. And his brothers weren't bothered by her impromptu visit.

"Damn, these are good," Thatch said as he ate his third brownie.

When Marco left around eight, he took the dress and tux with him, both in plastic cases to not get damaged. Izo kept the wig on the head to keep it in place and gently set it in the back seat. "Good luck and have fun," izo said once Marco was in the car. He gave him a smile and wave, driving home.

There were some people around the front, and he made an appearance by going through the front door, even if he parked somewhere else. His hands were full, so he couldn't do any autographs, but took pictures with some of them. He declined to talk to the press with their cameras, just saying that the topic they wanted to know about most would be at the red carpet showing.

He didn't tell them that she would still be hiding her identity. No, that would be a surprise. He took the clothes inside and put them in the coat closet, taking the wig and setting it on the bookshelf.

-x-

Ace stood in the bathroom, expertly putting the styled wig on without it being undone or tangled. She had concealer over her freckles, but like usual when she hid them, she had her shoulder freckles showing for the dress. She wore a hoodie over it for going outside, but would take it off once they got there.

When she left the bathroom, Marco thought she looked amazing, even if she had a wig on and immediately put the mask on. "Seriously?" Marco asked, not having known what the mask was going to look like.

"What?" she asked innocently, though there was a smile in her voice.

"You're so silly. I love you, you weirdo," Marco laughed. Ace chuckled, too, telling him she loved him back. What was so silly about this was that it wasn't the faceless, somewhat creepy mask. It was a damn Iron Man mask. At least the red matched the dress, and Marco had to wonder if this was the reason she chose the color red.

She had a small purse, simple leather, with her phone and wallet in it, along with the folded sign she had made and Marco signed. She was planning on holding it up in some of the photos Marco told her that would be taken. After the event, they were going to the first showing of the movie, and Marco really hoped she liked it.

He hadn't told her anything about it, as he didn't want it to be spoiled for her. They both left his apartment and headed downstairs to the parking garage, going to drive Marco's nice car, as tonight was all about his career. She took the mask off on the ride there, but put it on right before they pulled into the parking.

It was very busy, like always, especially since it was a very anticipated movie. "Ready?" Marco asked. Ace nodded, and Marco laughed again at her choice of mask. Though, she wouldn't have been able to see out of the faceless mask she had been wearing in her little series.

The two held hands and immediately, cameras were on them as they walked inside. Marco rubbed his thumb across her knuckle when her hand tightened a little bit in nervousness. They could both see many cameramen were shocked by Ace's appearance. No one had seen this wig before, and you could bet they all knew about "Marco's Mystery Woman".

Ace stayed quiet for much of the event, not really knowing what to do or say. Marco had a feeling she was hiding her nervousness behind the ridiculous mask. Marco was asked a lot of questions about the movie, and when a few people asked Ace about herself, she said, "It's a secret for now."

During the event, Marco showed off his charming side for the cameras, and Ace must have noticed that it was different than how he usually acted. He smiled a lot here, and he smiled a lot around Ace, but it was a different smile.

When Marco smiled with Ace, it was always a fond, soft and loving smile. Here, it was bright, showing his perfect teeth. Marco kept his Ace smile only for her. Near the end, after good pictures of Marco and his silly girlfriend, the last couple of photos, both held up a long piece of paper that read: "_Can you figure it out? #Marco'sMysteryWoman" _

When the two went back to the car, followed by cameras, Ace sighed when they were finally gone, and took the mask off. "How do you do that for every movie?" she asked. "There were so many people. I wonder if they liked my mask," she added in an afterthought. Marco chuckled.

"I'm used to it by now. Did it bother you?" he asked, sounding a bit nervous.

"It didn't _bother _me, it was just weird. I don't know, I'm not used to it," Ace replied. "Though the mask did help. I would have looked really nervous without it. Are we going to go see your movie now?"

"Yeah. I hope you like it. Do you know what it's about?" Marco asked, curious if she ever looked into it.

Ace nodded. "I watched the trailers. You're an action movie guy, and the world is gonna end." Marco smiled, glad she only knew the basic premise and not the whole thing. Though, he wouldn't be able to see her face while she watched it. He'd have to wait till after to know her reaction. Marco hoped he'd impress her with his own stunts that he did instead of his usual stunt double.

He had had many bruises and soreness during the shooting of the movie, but had gotten in shape for it, and even more in shape as the movie went on.

Marco and Ace were still dressed in their red carpet outfits, which Marco had told the reporters were done by his brother, Izo Newgate. So, even if Marco did wear a hat and sunglasses, attention would still be brought to both of them. They already had the tickets, and sat in the back row at the top on the theater.

Ace was looking forward to the movie, even though she didn't know much about it, but Marco was more nervous about his movie than ever before. Ace hadn't gotten any snacks, but got a lemonade, drinking through a straw from under her mask that she hadn't removed for the movie.

The previews were shorter than Marco expected, and he was a bit bummed about it, as he was trying to contain his nerves. When the movie started, Marco continuously looked to the side to see Ace's reaction only to be disappointed by being unable to see her face. It was a long movie, two hours, and the twist ending caught everyone by surprise.

Ace especially, apparently. Marco died in the movie, shot in the chest. He heard sniffling next to him, and suddenly felt horribly guilty. He hadn't warned Ace that he _died _a painful and drawn out death. He should have told her, and shouldn't have been surprised that it would upset her. He knew, if he saw her die, even in a movie, he'd be very upset.

After the movie, she was very subdued, and it wasn't the outcome Marco had wanted or hoped for. He felt like a terrible person for not telling her. Immediately, once they were out of the theater, he took her aside and said, "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you I died. I didn't even think about it, I didn't want to spoil anything." He looked at her in extreme worry.

"I didn't like the ending," she said quietly. He hugged her, and apologized again, not even caring people were watching. Ace hugged him back tightly, gripping his tux's back. "I forgive you. Tell me next time."

"I promise I will. Did you like the rest of the movie?" Marco asked as they walked back to his car. He paid no attention to the press trying to ask him questions. He was only focused on Ace. He was really glad she forgave him for how insensitive he'd been, even if it was truly unintentional. Though, he'd probably still feel guilty about it for a long time.

"Yeah," she said, trying to hide that she was still upset, though Marco could tell. "I'm surprised you didn't get hurt from the stunts." Marco played along, knowing that she didn't want to dwell on what had happened.

"It was hard, but got me in shape pretty well," Marco replied.

"Too bad I never got to see how in shape you are," she teased, successfully moving on from the whole "Marco died" scene. Marco's face flushed. He and Ace had never gotten intimate, or really wanted to yet, but she wanted to see him shirtless he assumed. Ace giggled at his reaction.

The two of them were less physically intimate, not even really making out that much, but it wasn't a problem for either of them. And Marco knew, even if it was a problem for him, he would not push it. It was never mentioned directly, but Ace had never been intimate with someone else. Marco was her first _everything _and wanted to do it all right. Make her as happy with him as she could.

Then he frowned, knowing it was his fault that he made her cry. She fell asleep on the way back to his place, where she would take her car back home. He woke her up gently, her clothes in the trunk. She put her hoodie on over the dress and changed shoes from the flats to her boots. Giving him a kiss, she drove home.

Marco needed to talk to Pops. He had to tell someone what had happened. He still felt horrible for it.

He called Whitebeard almost the moment he got inside. It was almost eleven, but he needed to talk. The man answered the phone on the second ring, and didn't sound sleepy at all, which Marco was thankful for. Or, he could just be faking not being tired. "Hey, son. How are you?"

Of course he knew something was wrong. Marco never called at night, because their conversations are usually pretty long. "Not good, Pops. I did something bad," Marco began, and explained when Pops asked him what happened very seriously. "I took Ace to see my movie, and I didn't tell her I died in it. I got shot, and then died right in front of her and she didn't even know. I made her cry, Pops. I don't know what to do, I feel _so _guilty. I apologized, and she said she forgave me, but was still really quiet.

"I didn't mean to not tell her, I just didn't want to spoil anything, and then I probably spoiled the whole night," Marco confessed bitterly. "What should I do?" he almost begged.

"Do something that shows you really love her. Buy her flowers, or something. Take her someplace special. I know she knows you didn't mean to upset her. Don't dwell on it too long, or it will just drag it out. It'll be fine Marco, it's not like you did some sort of cruel prank on her, it was a genuine accident, and it's pretty clear even to me, who wasn't there," Whitebeard explained, easing Marco's worry and guilt a bit.

"I'll do that," the celebrity responded. He said thank you and goodnight to him, before going into his room and putting on pajamas. It was hard to fall asleep, but he did, only to wake up at two in the morning by Ace.

"_I can't to me,"_ Ace said, though she sounded exhausted. Marco felt another pang of regret and guilt. So, Marco talked to her, telling her stories about his childhood that they hadn't talked about, until he heard her breathing even out and soft snores began. He smiled sadly, and hung up. He hoped she didn't have any nightmares because of him.

-x-

Early the next morning, before most people would go out to try and confront Marco at his home, he left, in full disguise, and went to Ace's favorite coffee shop and got her a coffee, and a bouquet of flowers, too. He knew Ace's favorite flower was hibiscus, so that's what he bought. He knew Ace got up early in the morning, so he knew she'd be awake by nine, and went to her place.

He called Sabo, and asked him to buzz him in. Sabo had Saturday's off from his job at the book store. So, Marco knocked on Ace's apartment's red door and Ace was the one to open it, looking surprised at Marco's appearance.

He immediately handed her the flowers and coffee, apologizing very sincerely. "You didn't have to do this, I already forgave you," she said, but smelled the very mild fragrance from the flowers with a smile.

"I know, but I still feel really bad about it," Marco confessed, looking ashamed. She turned to set the coffee down on the kitchen counter next to the door and softly put her hand on his cheek.

"It was an accident. I know you would never purposely make me upset. Besides, the rest of the movie was good. It was only the last ten minutes that got me."

"But you couldn't even sleep last night because of it," Marco argued.

"Well, at least it shows that I love you deeply and never want anything bad to ever happen to you," Ace argued back, though in a gentle voice. She changed the subject, not wanting to talk about anything sad anymore. "What should I do with the dress? Does Izo want it back?" she asked, moving aside to invite him in.

Luffy's bedroom door was open a little bit and showed him sleeping on the floor, his blanket dragged down with him, clearly having fallen off the bed. "You can keep it," Marco replied, sitting next to her on the couch, the curtains drawn and making the room lit up by the warm light from an old lamp.

His phone buzzed, and he expected it to be one of his siblings, but it was a Twitter alert, another article about him posted and someone tagged him in it. Ace brought her legs up and curled up on the couch, leaning against Marco's side.

The article made him smile, glad it wasn't anything negative. The source that posted it clearly looked at Ace's ridiculous mask in a positive light. The title was "Marco's 'Mystery Woman' Continues to Toy With the Public and We Love It." Ace peeked on the screen of his phone and smiled.

"Looks like you made a good first impression," Marco said, making Ace laugh. The main photo on the article was masked Ace and Marco holding up the long piece of paper, challenging the internet to figure out who the heck she was.

"Good," Ace replied. "I wonder how long it will take everyone to figure it out. Will probably end up being one of my fans who realize it. Or if someone revisits when you started following me maybe they'll make the connection."

Luffy loudly left his room and Marco watched as he took out a popcorn bowl and dumped an entire box of cereal into it and poured half a gallon of milk into the bowl before taking it to his room. "You better not spill that!" Ace warned.

"Yeah," Luffy replied, still clearly very tired. "Glad you aren't really dead, Marco," and he closed his bedroom door. Sabo was at the desk next to the window, typing what Marco assumed was the book he was writing. He had headphones on.

"Do you want to go on a hike with me and Sabo today?" Ace offered. "It's supposed to be really nice out," she added. Marco hadn't been on a hike in a long time. He also didn't have anyone else in the family who liked doing that sort of thing and he honestly didn't have many friends, just his brothers. Well, he was friends with Sabo and possibly Luffy. It was hard to tell with Luffy sometimes.

"Sure. I'll have to go home and change. Is Sabo okay with it?" Marco asked, looking to sabo, who hadn't responded, meaning he probably couldn't hear them.

"Why wouldn't he be? The more the merrier, and safer, to be honest," Ace replied. She had finished her cup of coffee very quickly, and the flowers were put into a vase on the end table. Marco agreed to meet them at the upper park entrance at ten, going home first to change into something that would be easier to hike in.

When he went home, he was a bit worried he wouldn't be able to keep up with Ace. He wasn't extremely physically fit anymore, as he'd slacked on the working out. Though he wasn't _out _of shape, he wasn't tip top anymore, and knew Ace worked out regularly. Oh well. It was something new for them to do, and Sabo was going to be there, too, which sounded fun. He hadn't really had time spent with Sabo that wasn't during Christmas.

Marco wore comfortable shorts that he almost never wore, and a T-shirt. He had a baseball cap on and a small backpack with water and some granola bars, not knowing how long or how far the three of them would be going.

Ace and Sabo were already at the park, stretching, Sabo's car parked in the lot. The upper part of the city's main park stretched on into the mountainous areas that cupped around one side of the big city, so Marco had no idea how far the siblings had been planning to venture. Sabo was wearing similar attire to Marco, while Ace wore purple workout leggings and a tight tank top, with tennis shoes. Marco was glad he had the right clothing for this, since he rarely did things like hiking. It should be fun, though. And if it's not, and very hard, at least he'd be getting a work out.

After Marco stretched some, too, the three of them headed into the easier part of the park and worked their way up the slope, which became steeper as they ended up crawling up the side, being careful for their footholds. It was bright and sunny outside, and they had all put sunblock on, and each had sunglasses on. Marco had a hat on while Ace had her hair in a ponytail and Sabo's was normal, though he didn't wear his signature hat.

Ace was clearly the most athletic out of them, and lead the group by far. It was definitely not a date, as Marco and Ace didn't speak too much, but it was fun. Sabo was dying by the time they'd climbed up the side of the steep hill.

Marco was second and was completely exhausted, too, while Ace was just slightly out of breath. She looked at both of them, panting and bent over with their hands on their thighs. "C'mon, do we have to stop?" Ace asked in disappointment. Marco wouldn't disappoint, and stood up, taking a swig of water and giving Ace a challenging look.

Sabo, however, needed a break. Ace gladly took a granola bar from Marco and both of them just looked at the beautiful view in front of them. The three were about to start up again after a break for Sabo when both Ace and Marco's phones went off. Ace ignored hers, wanting to continue the hike, but alarm after alarm went off and she couldn't ignore it anymore.

She and Marco both had messages from Marco's family. Most had the theme of "BUSTED". Marco opened the attachment and found that Ace had been caught.

"No! I barely got any time to have fun with it!" Ace complained. Marco felt the nervousness that he'd escaped from temporarily return.

"What happened?" Sabo asked. Ace show him what she had on her phone, and declared, "I've been had!"

Marco looked back down at his phone, and got notification after notification. He did as Ace did and turned it on vibrate before sticking it back in his backpack, and they continued their hike like nothing had happened. Out here, nothing was different. There was no one else around, and so Marco and Ace didn't have to wear any disguises to enjoy themselves outside somewhere. Maybe Marco would try and make this a thing, because out here with Ace and Sabo made him forget all about his career, or drama, or stress about the future. He just sweat and breathed in the cool air heavily, feeling more calm than he had in awhile, even during his times with Ace recently.

Once the three reached the highest point they could climb safely without gear, they stopped and ate some more snacks, before turning around and making the much shorter trip down the mountainous area.

"Hey, we can take pictures together now, and share them," Ace said happily. She got up and shoved the phone unceremoniously into Sabo's hands, telling him to take a photo. Ace jumped on Marco's back, and smiled brightly. Marco had his hat off and now both of them felt naked without anything changing their appearance. Marco almost felt freer. Now he could let people know who he loved, even if it would make privacy harder. And it might be difficult for ace and her siblings to handle at first.

But for just that moment, they were both so free.

-x-

Later that day, Marco was at Ace's place, and Luffy had convinced him to try playing a game with them. Marco wondered if he would hear Sabo's profanity now like he had over the phone the other day. It was lucky that there were only four of them, so they each had a controller and played a multiplayer game.

Marco was abysmal, which was a bit embarrassing when Luffy laughed at his horrible score, but he had never played a game like this before. "Luffy, you don't get to laugh when you broke five Wiimotes by not having the strap on," Ace scolded, making Sabo laugh at the memory. Marco didn't know what a Wiimote was, but was thankful that Sabo explained it was the controller for the Wii, and he did remember the Wii. It was huge when it came out.

Despite Marco and Ace's phones vibrating non-stop, they were all very successfully distracted. Ace looked fine, but Marco didn't miss Sabo's slight apprehension about the situation. Luffy just laughed and said he was going to start stocking up on water balloons, and lamented that it was still cold and so he couldn't buy a water gun. Ace scolded him, telling him he can't do it unless they pester them at home.

Ace did notice her brother's unease, and went to sit next to him and patted his thigh. "We'll be okay. We've been through worse," Ace said, surprising Marco, as he didn't know what Ace was referencing. Must be something about their childhood that he didn't know about. Maybe it was something that contributed to Ace's positivity that she could handle being under a spot light.

It reminded Marco that, while he did know a lot about Ace, they still had only been dating less than two months, and most of her important information was actually public on her YouTube channel. Somehow, Marco felt a little odd at realizing much of Ace was still unknown. But he looked forward to getting to know all of her. Well, what she was comfortable sharing.

Marco said nothing of the comment, and took pleasure in catching Luffy off guard and destroying his kill streak. Luffy moaned, "Heyyy! Marco, I almost had dogs!" Marco didn't know what that meant, but chuckled at his revenge.

By dinner time, Luffy had retired to his room after a couple hours of playing various games with his siblings and guest, and Sabo was sitting on the couch next to Ace, Marco on the recliner. "So, Sabo, when do you think your book will be done?" Marco asked curiously. Sabo smiled. Ace told Marco that he loved having people ask about his book, though he didn't share the storyline much. At least, not to Marco. Ace had published a book, but it wasn't a novel, like Sabo's was.

"I have the rough draft done, but I have to go in and fix the mistakes and make sure there are no continuity errors. It'll take awhile, but Ace's agent, Amanda, will help me out once its finished. She's a fan of Ace before helping her with her children's story, since Amanda's daughter looks up to Ace," Sabo explained. "I don't know if anyone will like it, but I hope I can get it at least published somewhere."

It was always Sabo's dream to become a big time author, but Marco knew very little about his novel. And he didn't want to snoop, so he didn't ask what it was about. Marco was still a bit unsure about if he will approve of Marco's relationship after everything went public. The actor hoped so, because he liked Sabo and Luffy, and wanted them to still like him regardless of what happens with the public and press.

"Would you ever see your novel turning into a movie?" Marco wondered curiously. Sabo shrugged.

"Not sure, since I don't know if I'll write a sequel. It would be nice to have it as a TV show and not a movie, like Game of Thrones. I can't imagine having so much of my story cut out for a movie. Though, it's only one book so far, not thousands of pages. Only four hundred."

"That's still pretty long, Sab," Ace commented. Sabo shrugged it off, saying there were much longer ones.

"My brother, Vista, used to write stories when he was in high school, and some of his poems were published in the school literary book every year. He didn't pursue the career, but I know he still writes in his spare time," Marco said.

"The one whose daughter likes me, right? The one with the top hat?" Marco nodded. Ace turned to Sabo and said, "You share some stuff in common with Marco's older brother. Top hat weirdos," she teased. Sabo smiled at her sardonically.

"Thanks so much precious sister of mine. Now, when are either of you going to do anything about your phones?" the blonde asked dryly. They were all becoming annoyed with the constant stream of messages, but had said nothing about it. But, it was time to face the music. Ace pouted at her brother and picked up her phone and groaned. Lots of messages, but Marco's was even worse.

Ace turned to Marco and asked what she was supposed to do about this. "Do I respond to these people? What do I say?" she asked a bit awkwardly, Sabo tuning out and putting his headphones on and returning to his computer at the desk across the room.

Marco said, "I guess it depends on who you want to talk to. You don't need to answer to media places wanting to interview with you. If you don't reply, they assume you are declining to talk. Most likely, these are all notifications from you being tagged in the first post letting everyone know Marco's Mystery Woman's identity. Though some might be from your own fans." Ace looked at her phone and saw that most of them were her being tagged. "To be honest, you should look through the initial messages someone sent to you, since there are regular trolls. They're the people who will send you nasty messages for no reason multiple times until you block them, so it's less hassle if you get on it quickly."

"Did that happen to you?" Ace asked curiously. She knew Marco followed almost no one, so did he get a lot of private messages?

"Yeah, when I broke up with my last ex. Her fans sent out nasty messages almost non stop, and it didn't help that she egged them on. So, just blocking all of the people who messaged the first time made them leave me alone. Saves a lot of time and effort," Marco explained. Ace looked back at the phone and sighed, melting into the couch and reading all of the messages sent to her.

Marco was glad to hear that she got very little hate mail. There were some of the Marco fangirls who asked "Who the hell do you think you are?!", but they were easy to block. Ace smiled, though, because as the day had passed, more people checked out her channel, which got millions of views just in a few hours, and sent her nice mail.

Marco was glad that she wasn't overwhelmed with invasive and mean messages or tweets. She read him aloud some of the nicest tweets and messages to her.

"'Marco's last girlfriend was really mean, but seeing some of your videos makes me have hope he found someone good. Take care of him'," Ace read with a smile. "More people commenting on my content, nice things. Aww, they're so nice."

The actor smiled at Ace's happy expression. "Be prepared for mean tweets, though. Not everyone is nice," Marco warned, not wanting her to get a false sense of belief that everyone would accept her.

"Pessimist," she accused with a pout. He chuckled.

"Just being realistic. But damn, you were caught fast," Marco said. Neither of them had looked at the source, so Marco did, and grimaced.

"What? What's wrong?" Ace asked.

"It was one of your fans that ratted you out," Marco replied.

"Traitor!" Ace shouted, though Marco knew Ace could never hate one of her fans. "What set them off?" she asked, as Marco still had the source article open.

"You let slip a poster that was on your wall in one of the prank photos. This one," Marco explained and turned the phone to her so she could see the frame that had been her downfall. It was a very distinct poster, as it was a handmade drawing sent to her by one of her youngest fans who had had done a painting of her favorite part of the children's book.

"Oh well, that was my fault," Ace conceded. She scrolled through more messages, before sitting up in surprise. "First ever jealous ex?" Ace asked and showed Marco the message on her phone. He sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't really know anything about her or what happened between you two, and I'm not really interested, so what should I reply?"

The message was from Pudding, and read: _You're just a small time person who won't last long with Marco. He may be great at first, but he only cares about himself in the long run. You're just the pretty new toy he'll throw away in no time._

Marco was exceedingly disappointed in Pudding, and it ruined any kind of redemption he felt she could have had if she apologized to him about what had happened. The break up had been messy, no matter how much Marco tried to make it clean and clear. She had grown jealous and possessive over his rapid success in the movie industry. Marco had been the push over in the relationship, and she walked all over him. Even years after his first love cheated on him, he was insecure and took what he felt he could get.

He had let Pudding do whatever she had wanted with him until she attacked his brother for enjoying crossdressing and makeup. It had been the nail in the coffin for them. Marco had silently been wishing she'd break up with him first, but she didn't, and so he had to take it into his own hands.

It was a big blow out, which had fans of both of them divided, warring each other and spurred on by Pudding's repeated and nasty remarks about him, which he and his family thought was counterproductive since she was aiming to keep the relationship.

Haruta had summed it up perfectly once it got in Pudding's head that it was over. Marco was her boy toy, an accessory to help her boost her fame and success. And when his started to rise about hers, that wasn't okay and Marco needed to be put back in his place.

The whole thing had been highly publicized, and was the reason Marco went years without trying to find anyone else again. He didn't have the trust to go out there himself, thinking someone else would use him, or just want him for his money. Until he met Ace again, and things just naturally unfolded.

Ace noticed his upset expression, and said, "You don't have to worry about someone else influencing my thoughts about you. I'll go by my own experiences, and I do not think you'll throw me away, and that you care about me. I don't know what happened between you two, as I wasn't interested. Lots of things were happening, and I had to focus on myself."

"Ace, you don't have to explain to me why you weren't caught up with my entire life since high school," Marco said with a soft smile. Ace frowned.

"I just feel like it looks bad that I don't know anything really about much of your past. And the general public knows more than I do, but I'm really not interested in your and Pudding's past," Ace replied.

Marco stood up and sat on the couch next to her. "I'm glad you don't know everything about me based on social media and the internet. I'm glad you want to see me and know me by yourself. It's not wrong that you don't know everything about my history, regardless of whether its public knowledge. If I weren't famous, it would be no big deal. We just have this handicap, and I think we're both doing well by learning from each other and not the internet or social media," Marco explained emphatically. It was like they completely forgot Sabo was still there, and had only one ear covered by his headphones. Marco didn't see the approving smile on Sabo's face.

"I love you," Ace whispered, kissing Marco's jaw.

"I love you, too."

Ace ended up messaging Pudding back, in a polite but clear and honest way. _I am not interested in what you have to say about Marco or me. Please don't message me again, because planting seeds of doubt in my head won't work out for you. Have a nice day._

Ace didn't get a reply from her, but moments after she sent the reply, Pudding sent a message to Marco. A copy of Ace's message, along with the words _Your new girl is a disrespectful brat._

Marco replied in a quick manner, not wanting to drag this ridiculous thing out any longer than necessary. _I'm with Ace right now, and I think her response is classier than anything you have done or said since I broke up with you. Leave us alone, you and I have nothing anymore. Goodbye._

Marco turned his phone off, and Ace did the same, melting into him as they turned on the TV to a random channel, not paying too much attention to it. Marco played with Ace's shorter, black hair. He was lost in his own thoughts of anger, but towards himself. How could he have stayed in an abusive relationship for so long? He was humiliated by the past, and how much of a pushover he'd been. How much he'd wanted her love, even if he hadn't returned it for a long time by the time he knew it was over.

It had been a mess he never wanted to repeat, and he was sure that Ace would never turn their relationship into such a toxic dump like Pudding had. Things were very different now, and the break up fiasco had helped mold him into this person, who he was more proud of being than his previous self. He wanted to continue to be brave and considerate, to himself and others. Especially now that he had Ace.

Sabo woke both of them up with dinner, as both had been so relaxed they'd drifted to sleep. Neither had heard Sabo working in the kitchen, and Luffy had stayed in his room, with the door shut so no noise came out.

It was just a pasta dish, but it was yummy and Ace was happy she didn't need to cook that night. There was small talk in the living room since the dining room table was just for show and storage of books that Sabo couldn't fit inside his room or the shelves in the living room.

Marco left the place happy and in disguise, driving home with his incognito car. Despite how he'd been feeling previously about things going public, he felt at ease with how things had turned out with Ace that day. Maybe she was right, and things really would work out. He'd do everything in his power to make sure it would. He wasn't going to let Ace slip through his fingers no matter what.


	7. Narcolepsy

When Ace didn't call or text at all for most of the next day, Marco grew very concerned. What if something had happened and she realized that it really was such a hassle? What if she wanted out, or Pudding had messaged her again, something bad that changed how Ace felt about him?

But he angrily pushed those thoughts away, not wanting to feel insecure and irritated with himself because Ace had told him many times that she wouldn't leave him because of his career and fame. How many times did she need to tell him for him to believe her? But he grew concerned when she didn't answer his messages, though it showed she hadn't looked at them, and hadn't seen and ignored them. So she must be busy with something.

It was late in the evening that Marco got a call from Sabo, and Marco grew concerned. "Hello?" he answered, trying to not sound nervous.

"_Hey, Marco. I just wanted to let you know why Ace hasn't been answering you or messaging. We've been at the doctor's for a lot of the day. Something is up with Ace, and we think we know what it is, but it's still not the best," _Sabo said. Marco heard Luffy being loud in the background.

"What happened? Is she okay?" Marco asked frantically. So, Sabo explained what had happened in detail so Marco didn't have any questions.

"_Luffy was with Ace this morning, working on a video when she passed out and hit her face on the camera stand. She broke her nose from falling, and wouldn't wake up, so Luffy called 911. I was at work. The doctor's think Ace has narcolepsy. She's not allowed to drive for a little while while we try and get some medication for it. She's taking it pretty badly," _Sabo added sadly.

"Has there been any problems at the doctors'?" Marco asked, not wanting his problem to make hers worse. But Sabo assured him that nothing went wrong, and they didn't come across anyone who recognized her. Especially with the blood all over her face.

"_Luckily, her nose won't be affected once it heals. It was a clean break, and just needs time and medication to heal. She's embarrassed, Marco. She doesn't want to feel like you have to be on alert every time you're with her in case she passes out and hurts herself. And when you two are alone together, you do need to look out for her until she gets stable medication to treat the symptoms," _Sabo explained emphatically and slowly so Marco understood it was a bit of an undertaking.

"I understand. I'll take care of her if she needs it. She's not a burden, and never will be. Please tell her to call me when she feels up to it," Marco said in a strong voice. Sabo didn't reply for a moment, before saying, "_You're a real good guy, Marco. Have a nice evening," _and hanging up.

Marco was worried all night, and had trouble falling asleep, wishing Ace would call him or message him. It was weird not talking at all, though her being stressed and in the hospital all day would be a good reason to not be answering your phone.

He looked up all about narcolepsy, and she had shown excessive daytime sleepiness, or EDS, with the sleep-attack. He hoped that was all she had, and didn't end up with hallucinations or cataplexy. But, it was lucky she didn't live alone and had people who loved her there with her when she needed them and Marco wasn't around.

-x-

By the next morning, Marco was really worried that Ace still hadn't texted him, and he was having trouble eating, hoping that this wouldn't make things bad. He loved Ace and wanted her to be happy with him. Well, he wanted her to be happy period, but he wanted to be happy with her, too.

It was around noon when his phone rang and he jumped off the couch and to the end table to answer it on the second ring, knowing it was Ace. "Hello?" he asked quickly.

"_Hey, Marco. I'm sorry I haven't texted or called. I'm having a hard time right now and didn't want to stress you out until everything has been resolved," _Ace said, sounding somewhat subdued and nasally, from her broken nose probably.

"It's okay, I understand. How are you doing now?" Marco questioned, glad she had called him and hadn't been mad at him for something or doubting, she just didn't want to worry him.

"_I have some meds now, but it's gonna be hit or miss for awhile. I've had three sleep attacks, but only one of them injured me, my broken nose," _Ace replied. "_I'm sorry if I end up becoming a burden."_

"You'll never be a burden for me," Marco said strongly. Ace was quiet on the other line for a moment.

"_I can't even drive, Marco. Someone is gonna have to drive me everywhere, and Sabo has work most days. Luffy doesn't have a license, and I don't want to have to have someone else chaperone me to the damn store every time. It's gonna be dangerous everytime I'm alone anywhere. I'm completely dependent on other people now. It's embarrassing. What if I pass out in front of other people and they think I'm drunk or something?"_

"Just until you're stable, right? Once the meds are working, you'll be better," Marco replied soothingly. Ace made a noncommittal noise on the other end. She was very down, more so that Marco had seen her since high school. Though, being diagnosed with a condition that would affect her daily life greatly would be something to be upset about. She felt she'd lost all sense of independency.

"_Sorry I'm so down. You don't have to worry about it, I'll be better soon,"_ Ace vowed.

Marco frowned sadly. "You don't need to apologize for being upset, Ace. I'd be upset, too, but just know you have people who love you, and I'm sure if no one else is around, Thatch and Izo would be more than happy to take you somewhere," Marco said nicely.

"_Thanks. I'm gonna try and film my next video without passing out, do you wanna be in it? So we can explain things to my fans and seventeen thousand new subscribers?" _Ace asked. Marco smiled, happy to be in one of her videos and to address her fans and assure them he'd be good to Ace. He hadn't told her he had gotten many messages of threats like, "If you hurt her, you'll have an army of women and girls after you". Or "If you upset Ace, you'll regret it". He wanted to clear things up.

"Sure. What time do you want me to come over?" he asked with a smile, which he knew she could hear in his voice.

"_Whenever is fine. I'm going to be home all day anyways," _Ace replied. When Marco suggested he could come over now, she agreed and said she'd see him soon, and to drive carefully. She didn't need to ask for him to not have people follow him to her place.

He got dressed and left the apartment in a hurry, wanting to see Ace as soon as possible and comfort her to help her get through this tough time, emotionally and physically. He wasn't followed today, which was nice, and he was so glad no one had caught on to his incognito car or that would be difficult and annoying if his car was recognizable.

When he arrived at Ace's apartment, he had Ace buzz him in, and he hurried to her door, where she was waiting on the other side to open it for him. She was wearing a sweater and some pyjama bottoms. "Hi, Marco," she said with a small smile. Marco leaned down and kissed her forehead before enveloping her in a big and warm hug. She had a bandage on her nose and purple bruises under her eyes.

"I'm so embarrassed," she confessed. Marco sighed and rubbed her back.

"It's not like you chose to have a medical condition, Ace," Marco responded. Ace just sighed and nodded, though it didn't make her feel much better. "Do you wanna go film your video now?" he asked. She nodded and the two headed to her room, where Marco hadn't spent much time. She had a desk that had the camera set up, with the microphone and some notes about what she was going to say.

"You can say whatever you want to my fans, and I'm going to explain about the narcolepsy. If I pass out in public, at least people won't think I'm just drunk or something," Ace explained. She went into the living room and got the rolly chair and brought it to her desk so Marco could sit next to her. She moved the camera back a bit so it would show both of them.

Ace turned the camera on, and Marco felt a bit nervous, which was ridiculous as he had been on camera for a much larger audience than Ace's fanbase and curious onlookers. He noticed Ace couldn't bring herself to be her chipper self even if front of the camera. But, Marco had a feeling she wouldn't be fake in front of her fans. After all, one of her main perks was how honest she was to them. Maybe faking would feel like she was insulting them.

"Hi, everyone. I have a guest today, and I'm sure most of you know that I've been had, and am no longer Marco's Mystery Woman. So, we're together and very happy. Sorry I kept it a secret, but we wanted privacy while we could. So, you're all going to hear some stuff from Marco, and I'll explain about something unfortunate that has come up.

"We'll get the bad part out first, and then we can talk about me and Marco. So, the bad part is that I've developed a medical condition called narcolepsy. Means I'll fall asleep randomly, and that's why my nose is broken," she said and pointed to her nose, and under eyes which had purple bruises she hadn't covered up. "I was trying to film a video, and passed out and hit my face on the camera stand. I really hope, if I do pass out in public, people will know why and not think I'm drunk or the like.

"I'll be okay, so don't worry. I have lots of people who love me and will take care of me if need be, including Marco," Ace explained. "Marco, your turn," she said with a smile, turning to the side to look at Marco.

"I want to let everyone know that I am in love with Ace, and this isn't about me being famous, or Ace being so beautiful. I love her with all my heart and even though it's been only less than two months, I've never felt this way about someone before. So, to all my fans, please respect Ace. I really won't appreciate if someone badmouths her or sends her nasty messages. Though, we all know she's been through worse and came out better than before, so I don't doubt her strength and resilience. I just would rather we not have to deal with nasty messages or fan mail.

"There is nothing anyone can do or say that will change my feelings about her, and no, that is not a challenge to try. We met again at the high school reunion over Christmas break, and since then our relationship just developed naturally. Sometimes I still can't believe it," he said with a genuine smile, though it wasn't the one always reserved for Ace, but it also wasn't the showy one for the cameras.

Ace had pink cheeks next to him and looked sheepish, but was smiling, too. "Though we're both a bit bummed her disguise was found out so quickly. She was wanting to play it up even more," he chuckled. Ace kissed his cheek.

"It was really fun," Ace said. Marco grinned.

"I agree."

They both talked a little more about how some things had progressed, but left most things out. The public didn't need to know about their private moments. That's why they had kept the secret for as long as possible. To have as many private moments as possible. "If everyone wants, I'll continue the little series where I was wearing the mask and wigs."

They both did the outro, Ace feeling happier now than she did before they started the video. "I'll make some more videos sometime with Marco. Should be fun. And thank you to all my new subscribers, I hope you'll like my content. Bye!" and the video was over.

Marco sighed. "That was stressful," he stated. Ace laughed.

"How was a ten minute video stressing when you did a whole movie where you jumped off of buildings and used harnesses and stuff?" she asked incredulously.

"Because I do my movies for my fans. This video was for yours, and I want them to approve of me," he answered truthfully.

"You were very sweet. Thank you," Ace said. "It cheered me up a bit, too. Wanna watch me edit it?" she asked. Marco agreed and watched with interest while she edited the video, cutting out some of the long pauses and adding her opening a fan had made her, an animated intro Marco knew many YouTubers made.

It didn't take long, as she was able to do it relatively quickly from experience. An hour after the end of filming it, it was submitted, and she shared it on Twitter as well, linking Marco to it so it got more attention that the public would want to see. After all, not everyone interested in her would watch her videos.

After the video was posted, Ace was looking very sleepy, and while she was talking, her words started to slur, and they both knew she was going to fall asleep, and that she couldn't stop it. She sagged backwards into her chair, and Marco picked her up, sleeping deeply, and brought her to the bed, laying her down and laying down next to her on the large bed. It was quite comfortable. He waited for her to wake up patiently, and she woke up around twenty minutes later, a bit confused about how she was on her bed before she noticed Marco next to her, looking kind and patient with what happened.

"... Sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep," she mumbled. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It's fine," Marco replied nicely and with a soft smile. When Marco was about to say something else, his phone rang and he looked at it to see his agent. "I'll be right back. It's my agent," he explained, and Ace sat up so he could get off the bed, as he was on the side against the wall.

Marco went into the kitchen to talk. Luffy was in his room and Sabo was at work. "Hello?"

"_Hey, Marco. Tom's show would like to have you on for the movie and about Ace," _Anthony said, getting right to the point. Marco was expecting this the moment Ace had been revealed. And Tom was one of the usuals that had him on when he made a movie, or when something controversial happened. He had asked Marco to come on and talk about the war between Marco's fans and Pudding's fans, but Marco had declined, not wanting to cause any more drama than there already was.

"I'll ask her about coming on, but I'll go for the movie," Marco replied. He knew it wasn't really a choice whether to go on about the movie, but it was his choice on whether to bring of talk about Ace in front of so many people that _weren't _Ace's fans. "When is he thinking of?"

"_Some time this week is ideal for him, but he has a soft spot for you so later could be fine with him," _the agent explained. Tom's Daily Show had been his first place to be interviewed after he blew up among fans (mostly girls) after his first movie he was in, when he wasn't even the main character, and Marco had been super nervous in front of a live audience, and Tom had helped him feel more at ease by listing all of the embarrassing things _he'd _done on his own show and it ended up being a fun night.

"I'll call you in a bit after I ask Ace about it," Marco said, and hung up. He walked back to Ace's room to see her just smiling at her phone. "Hey, Ace. Tom's Daily Show asked if you would come on with me." Ace frowned at him and pointed to her bandaged nose and the purple bruises under her eyes. "It's not like you broke it doing something stupid or embarrassing," Marco said nicely. "Besides, it'll be a good conversation starter, and then everyone, not just your fans, would know about the narcolepsy," the man reasoned. Ace thought for a minute before looking at her reflection in the phone that had gone to sleep after a few seconds of her not touching it. "And there is always make up for the bruises."

"What if I pass out on air? It's live, isn't it?" Ace worried. "Won't I embarrass you?"

Marco frowned. "You could never embarrass me for something like that. It's a medical condition, Ace. And it's not like you chronically shit your pants, you fall asleep." Ace laughed at his reasoning. "Besides, you're very cute when you sleep."

She thought for a moment, obviously uneasy about risking going on air and having something happen. "You don't have to if you don't want to. There's no pressure for you to come," Marco made sure to add. "I don't want you going unless you want to."

"When will it be?" Ace asked.

"Sometime this week," Marco replied.

"I want my bruises to fade more first," Ace decided. "And I want to be on medication before going in front of so many people. If it wasn't live with an audience I would be okay going in case I do something stupid we can just restart."

"Alright," Marco said, not disappointed in the least. He didn't want Ace to feel uncomfortable in any situation. And he didn't want to add any more stress while she was dealing with her new disorder. When she started to apologize, he sternly said, "Don't apologize. It's your choice and your right to decide where you want to go and what you want to do." Ace gave him a soft smile.

"Thanks, Marco. I feel guilty that I feel so down. I haven been truly sad like this in awhile. I don't like not feeling in control, and now I don't even have control over my own body. I don't want to be a burden to anyone."

Marco decided to tell her something that would hopefully make her feel better and know that Marco knew how she felt. "When I was ten, and lived with Pops and my older brothers, I got beat up at school, but I didn't tell anyone. But, after more bullying, I beat the crap out of the bully who was teasing and hurting me. His parents pressed charged after I broke seven of his fingers after slamming something hard down on his hands. Pops had to pay a lot of money. Everyone was mad at me, and I felt like a burden.

"It's different with you, as you didn't cause this, but I felt so bad and like I was dragging everybody down, so I ran away for about a day. I felt guilty, but I'd become even more of a burden by running away. Pops told me that even if I was a burden, and he said I _wasn't, _he still loved me. My family still loved me, and nothing could change that.

"Nothing about your condition will change how I feel about you. I know the story doesn't really match with yours, but I just wanted to tell you about it," Marco finished. He was looking down, still ashamed of his behavior thirteen years ago.

Ace looked at him in a strange way. "Thanks for telling me. You have a nice family, Marco. All of them love you, no matter what." She sounded wistful and almost jealous. "There's something I haven't told you, and I haven't said publically either. I lied in one of my videos. I didn't want to paint my parents in a bad light." She sighed, and Marco sat on the bed next to her, pulling her into his lap with her back against his much broader chest.

"After I got out of the mental hospital, and no one visited me there, I found out my parents had told Sabo and Luffy that I was a disgrace and that I would rot in hell for trying to kill myself. They saw me as a burden and it looked bad for them with all of their religious friends.

"I came home and they wouldn't speak to me. They took the bedroom door off the hinges so I had no privacy anymore. I did have meds that my grandma had gotten for me. She'd dead now, but anyways, Sabo and Luffy didn't believe our parents. They fought for me, even with all the slandering they did. It just pushed all of us away.

"The three of us moved out after senior year, right away. My parents didn't homeschool us, they just had a home-school teacher volunteer with us. The reason I don't like having other people buy me things or pay for anything is because, after we moved out to this tiny one bedroom apartment, where Luffy and Sabo shared the room and I took the couch, they claimed that I owed them money for all of my hospital expenses.

"They took most of my salary from the job I worked at, which put a strain on us financially. Sabo and I were nineteen and Luffy was almost seventeen. It was after that that I began the YouTube career. Even after that, they wanted my salary but never got it anymore.

"None of us have talked to them in years. The rest of our family disowned us as well for being disobedient brats that were a disgrace in their god's eyes. I wouldn't be surprised if they contacted me after hearing about you and I being together.

"I feel bad for lying to my audience, but it was easier than having my parents come back and coming after me for painting them in a bad light. So, strangers slandering me can't feel worse than my own family doing so. That's part of the reason I am adamant that things will end up okay, no matter what anyone thinks of me. I just don't want the people I love to see me as a burden or disgrace.

"It's also why I never looked for romance. I was in a bad place, and was told no one would love me after what I did. So, you already knowing and wanting to talk to me again anyways is why I gave you a chance. I'm really glad I did."

Tears were down her face, and Marco's expression was one of disgust with Ace's family other than her brothers. Since she was facing away from him, she didn't see the look he wore.

"You will be completely accepted by my family. Pops really likes you, and you deserve love and to be happy. No matter what those people said. None of it's true. You are loved dearly by me and your _real_ family, the only family that matters now," Marco replied strongly, and kissed the crown of her head, hugging her tightly.

"We've been dating only over a month, and yet I've never felt like this about anyone. I wish I had found you sooner," the man said softly. "I'm so in love with you, Ace."

Ace turned her head and kissed Marco, chaste but long. "I love you, too, Marco. I was so nervous your family would think I was disgusting like my family does. I said I didn't regret what happened, but part of me does. If I hadn't done something stupid like trying to hang myself, maybe Luffy and Sabo would still have a family," Ace said after the kiss. "They say they're happier now than before, but I still have doubts. The three of us are in good places now. Luffy loves his job, even if I think it would be boring, waiting tables. Sabo has the freedom to write his book, and pursue a career he wants and has Koala. And I'm happy and found you again."

The two of them stayed at Ace's place for a couple more hours before Thatch invited both of them over, though he didn't know they were together at the moment. It made things more convenient, and Marco could drive Ace there, since she wasn't allowed to do so herself for the now.

Both of them only had a hat on, Ace not feeling happy enough to wear a wig or put on any makeup. She fell asleep in the car ride, even though it wasn't long. When they arrived at the house, Marco went to the passenger's side and unbuckled her seat belt and picked her up to bring her to the front door, where Izo was there to open it right away.

"Mar- Ace? What's wrong with her?" Izo asked in concern. Marco knew Ace wouldn't care if he told Izo and Thatch, after all, now it was public knowledge and Izo and Thatch were her friends.

"She has narcolepsy now. She fell and broke her nose," Marco explained, setting ace down gently on the couch, and put a blanket over her after taking off her boots, as Thatch didn't like shoes on his carpet.

Marco sat at the foot of the couch by her head. Izo and Thatch sat across from him. "Guys, what was I like when I was with Pudding? What's so different now?" Marco asked suddenly. He honestly couldn't remember what the beginning of his and Pudding's relationship was like. It had been good, right? Then why did Ace feel so different, and his brothers said he was different with Ace than Pudding. He knew that he loved Ace more than he had loved Pudding, but they had been happy for awhile.

"Pudding was a bitch, but she seemed to make you happy, so we didn't tell you what we thought of her when we should have. You were happy, but also subdued. She talked more than you did, and you've always been somewhat quiet, but she seemed to control the conversations you had," Izo said, more than happy to talk badly about Pudding and how she had affected Marco.

Thatch nodded in agreement. "She was really controlling and had a real bad attitude. Still don't know what you saw in her, but it was after a hard break up, so you must have been lonely. You would give Pudding nice looks, but you never looked at her like you do at Ace. Even when Ace is not speaking with you, you just give her these looks. It's hard to describe."

"The best way I'd describe them is warm. So warm. Ace is also easy to get along with, especially us. Everyone really likes her," Izo said, and then grinned at Ace, who was hiding a small smile. Marco turned his head around.

"You're awake aren't you?" Marco asked. Ace peeped open an eye.

"No," she said quickly, closing her eye again. Marco chuckled.

"You liked what your heard?" Ace kept her eyes shut but nodded with a smile. She sat up, and apologized for falling asleep in the car, but Marco waved the apology off. "Was Pudding really such a bad person?" she wondered. Thatch and Izo nodded. Marco looked a bit ashamed, but his brothers didn't blame him. It had been a mistake. A _long _one but it was in the past.

"She called Izo some nasty names to his face which was what got Marco to leave her. It was a disaster, though. I never liked her. She seemed almost fake. Like she was an actor, and I don't mean like in movies. She seemed to try and be perfect, and when someone didn't kiss her ass and do what she wanted, she was just a bitch about it," Thatch said. Then he pouted, "She called my hair stupid. You know how much work goes into my hair? How much the product costs?" He sounded very indignant.

"Ace, you're much better. I like you more," Thatch said.

"You guys are making me sound too perfect," Ace complained, feeling a bit embarrassed though clearly flattered.

"Nobody is perfect, but at least you don't try to be," the chef replied. "I think it has to do with very different upbringings and experiences. The thing that annoyed me _most _about Pudding, before she targeted Izo for his fashion style, was that everything was about money."

"You bought Marco some silly ties for Christmas, she bought him stocks. Not exactly the most heartwarming present," Izo mentioned. "Marco dated her for over a year, and she had come to Thanksgiving, and wasn't pleased with how some of our family acted once they got drunk. I mean, no one was disrespectful, but they were messy and loud. Pudding kept turning her nose at our brothers, and no one liked her for it."

"Marco bought her a really pretty silver necklace and she complained that it 'looked cheap'. That bugged me. She kept tabs on Marco all the time, and when he hit it really big on the second movie, she was so mean about it. We were all so happy with his success and she didn't seem to be," Thatch said.

"You guys make her sound so bad. Marco liked her for some reason right?" Ace could see Marco's cheeks were red and he was frowning, embarrassed that his family didn't like her so much and never told him. It made him feel bad. Ace was trying to make him feel better, he knew that.

"Well, I don't know what it was. She just cemented our hatred in her when she went after Marco viciously after the break up. don't believe a word she said. And since they're both really popular people, their fight was capitalized on since it was pretty juicy. It was awful," Izo replied, not feeling bad for bad mouthing Marco's former lover. Good riddance.

"Can we stop talking about this?" Marco asked.

"You're the one that brought it up," Izo countered, though he sounded amused. "We're just glad you're happy now, with someone who is actually a good person." But, he dropped the subject after that, and the four talked about how Ace was doing, and she pretended she was fine, and Marco didn't say anything about it, knowing his partner was still upset about the whole thing, and would be for awhile. It was her choice on whether she showed how she was really feeling in front of people other than him and Sabo and Luffy.

Marco called Anthony while Ace was distracted with his brothers, watching a cheap horror movie playing on a TV channel. Marco wasn't a fan of horror movies, because he felt there were very few _good _ones, and even fewer that he'd seen.

"Hey, Anthony. Ace isn't going to go on Tom's show. Not yet. She broke her nose and wants to wait before appearing in front of the world," Marco explained simply, and scheduled showing on the talk show host's show on Wednesday. Marco would have to drive there, but it wasn't a very long trip.

Ace would no doubt be a hot topic, but Marco would refuse to talk about her too much, prefering to have her show the world how amazing she was, not for Marco to _talk _about how amazing she was. There was a lot to talk about with his movie, though.

It had gotten a very good rating so far, though it had only been out a couple days. Though, after seeing it with Ace and not telling her about his graphic death, it had tainted how he felt about the ending. He had thought it was a good one, but personal feelings were bubbling up and making him dislike it a bit now.

When Marco went back in the living room from the dining room, Ace said, "Marco, I didn't know you could time travel." Marco was confused to say the least.

"Huh?" he asked dumbly. What the heck was she talking about.

"Well, apparently while you were filming the video with me, you were also flirting with an underage teenage girl. How could you?" she asked in mock hurt. Marco frowned and sat next to her, groaning when he looked at the screen of Ace's phone.

A fake conversation between him and a thirteen year old girl. It looked pretty legit, aesthetic wise. However, it was so full of spelling and punctuation errors that it was almost comical. And Marco would never do something like that in the first place. Ace was clearly entertained with it, and he was glad.

"Should I respond?" Ace wondered. Thatch and Izo were behind the couch and reading the messages. It was ridiculous. "Does anyone even seriously talk like this?"

"Yeah, reply and then block her. She's young, and young people are stupid and annoying," Thatch said.

"Harsh, Thatch. What about your resident food stalker?" Izo asked. Thatch pouted.

"I meant _young _young people. Like, kids and young teenagers. Even though Luffy acts like a kid, he's different," the chef argued.

"Luffy worms his way into your heart and then refuses to leave. That's how he is with most people," Ace commented. "So what should I reply?"

"Something about the punctuation and spelling. It looks bad for Marco for anyone to think he types like that," Izo replied. Ace started typing.

_Almost looks legit, except Marco knows at least basic spelling and punctuation. Goodbye. _

"That good?"

"Simple and to the point, I approve," Thatch said, walking back to his arm chair to continue to horrible scary movie that was still playing. Ace sent the message and then blocked the girl. She didn't want to deal with someone like that. Marco was a bit irritated. The girl was obviously a fan of his based on the badly photoshopped profile pic that had his head next to hers. Ace snickered at his exasperated expression.

Ace put her phone down on the arm of the couch and adjusted her sitting so she was curled up next to Marco, who was thoroughly unimpressed by the effects of the movie they were watching - and why were they still watching it?

Ace's phone went off a few times, but she was used to the chiming by then, and Marco had told her she had to get used to it. She ignored it, though. She had a different chime for anything from Sabo or Luffy, so she knew none of the messages were emergencies from her family. She and Marco and his brothers watched the marathon of crappy horror movies, and none of them had a reason to continue watching, other than they were somehow addicting, just to see how bad they got.

By late afternoon, Ace wanted to go home, as she was feeling exhausted and wanted a nap. The doctors told her napping frequently would be helpful. She was awake enough that she could go from the elevator to her home. So, Marco kissed her goodbye, said he loved her, and watched as she walked into the building. Marco smiled when she turned around and gave him a sleepy wave.

He headed home, sleep sounding nice to him as well, though he didn't need it. A nap just sounded nice. When he got home, he shut and locked the front door and flopped onto the couch, kicking his shoes off. He brought the curtains down over the window-wall to make the room darker, and fell asleep.


	8. Sleeping Over

**This is an extremely long chapter. 12,000 words. I'm thinking about cutting it in half. Does anyone think it's too long? Enjoy~**

* * *

_Marco sat on a park bench, feeding birds. No one bothered him since he had a hat and sunglasses on. Next to him was his current girlfriend, Pudding. She wasn't comfortable with feeding the birds, and instead was on the opposite bench, her back to Marco while she was looking at her reflection in her phone's black screen. _

_Marco seemed a bit down, bored with life and feeling stupid, like an old man feeding birds with a snappy wife getting mad at him for it. When he ran out of bird seed, he got up and told Pudding they could leave, that he was out of seed. _

_They didn't hold hands, and Pudding walked a few steps ahead of him. She was complaining about something or someone, but Marco wasn't paying too much attention. She was always complaining about someone or somebody. It was one of the things she enjoyed most. _

_Marco was just passing someone with shoulder length black hair and freckles. It made him stop and turn around to watch her run past, chasing her dog that had pulled away from her and took the leash with him. She laughed and shouted for her dog to come back, before she ran into the arms of a faceless man. Though, in the dream the fact he was faceless didn't seem odd._

_The man felt a surprising pang of hurt and disappointment when he saw the woman kiss the faceless person, and walk away with him, holding hands. Marco woke up when Pudding shouted at him about looking at women other than her. _

Marco opened his eyes, and chuckled. What a silly dream. He'd had plenty of dreams about Ace, and most of them were pleasant. A dream that basically told him he'd be miserable without Ace. Being that dependent on a person had been his downfall before. But, as long as she was dependent on him, too, he was fine with needing her to be his happiest.

He checked his phone, which had a blue light going off, meaning he had a message. He opened the phone to see it was from the person he'd dreamt about. Not the good one. It was a strange coincidence, hearing from her _after _talking about her and then dreaming, too.

A link was to Ace's video where she talked about why and when she had attempted to hang herself, and what had happened following the incident. Only, it was the slightly falsified story that didn't tell the truth of Ace's family's reactions. He still seethed at what awful people they were.

_Went from successful, rich, actress to suicidal youtuber. What a fall from grace. _

Marco sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, still lying on his back on the couch. He almost just ignored the message, but changed his mind. He didn't want any part of Pudding back in his life. Didn't want or need her anymore. Did he ever even need her in the first place?

_Leave me alone, Pudding. We are over and will never be together again. Leave me and my lover alone._

He sent the message and got a reply almost instantly. With how fast it had been sent, he expected tons of typos, but it was just four words: _You will regret this. _

_I really don't think I will. Goodbye, _and he blocked her. If she had apologized for how she had acted those years ago, maybe Marco would have forgiven her, he was a relatively forgiving person, but it didn't mean he would want to get back together with her. She really was possessive, over Marco and his success. Well, she could dream, because nothing would be between them ever again.

Marco glanced at the corner of the screen to see he had slept for over an hour, and it was past dinner time. He went into the kitchen to see what he could make, as he didn't want to go back out to the grocery store, or to pick up any take out. All he had upon inspection was a box of pasta. Not even any sauce. But, he was fine with a bland meal once and awhile, and it was easy to make.

The rest of the night he spent on his bed, on his laptop, watching something Ace had recommended to him. It was a dinosaur fossil documentary that Ace said pissed her off, so he was interested in it and she sent him the link. He hadn't had the chance to watch it yet. And it made him a bit irritated too. The way the situation was handled was ridiculous. But it was interesting anyway.

He fell asleep easily, considering he'd had a late nap. Maybe he needed more sleep, and seeing Ace nap so much made him sleepy as well. At least he didn't have any weird dreams, and didn't wake up the next morning to a nasty message.

-x-

Marco stood backstage of the talk show, messaging Ace, who wouldn't have come even if she had planned to, since she was in a terrible mood after waking up to a horrifying hallucination. She was very upset over it, and Marco would rather be there than here, now, but he couldn't just leave. It would look bad and be irresponsible. But, he was worried about her.

She had gone into brief detail about the hallucination. A headless, bloody monster was standing next to her bed, staring down at her, and she woke up fully, screaming, waking both Luffy and Sabo. Marco wished he could be with her, but pushed it out of his mind when he was called on. It had been awhile since he appeared on TV, but he fell right into step, smiling brightly as he walked on stage and to the guest's couch.

He was distracted the whole show, but was able to keep up appearances and answered each question promptly and honestly. When he was asked about Ace, he had laughed and said she wasn't feeling up to coming today. Tom got the hint, and switched back to the movie.

Marco went into detail about the training regimine he'd had for the role. "I really missed the taste of anything sweet. The first sweet thing I ate after the movie was over was a cake my brothers and Ace baked. It was delicious." That was the only mention of Ace he made.

"How did you feel about the ending of the movie? Spoiler alert, everyone, Marco dies," Tom said. "It was unexpected for me, to say the least." He grew interested when the guest frowned.

"You know, I liked it more before I saw it myself. The dramatics of pretending to die was interesting and new, but seeing the reactions from my loved ones wasn't the best, to say the least," Marco confessed. "So, I have mixed feelings about it now. Unfortunately."

It hadn't just been Ace that was upset by the ending. Some of his family had gone to see it, and came out extremely upset, though they all knew about the ending as Marco warned them from Ace's example.

"It makes me curious if the loved ones of all the actors who star in a role where the character dies are upset afterwards? I mean, they see their loved ones die. Even in the ones that aren't graphic, it would be upsetting, wouldn't it?"

Tom nodded, and the audience agreed. "I've never thought about it like that, but it is a reasonable question. So, are you planning on auditioning in any other roles anytime soon?"

Marco shrugged. "Taking a break has been nice, but keeping busy is always good for me. I don't know what kind of role I'd want to play now. I probably won't want to do my own stunts in a movie again. It was very hard on the body, though it did get me in shape. The thing I missed most, to be honest, was being unable to eat pizza. I was good and didn't stop the specialized diet during filming, but a restrictive diet is not very pleasant."

After the show, Marco called Ace, who answered in a subdued voice. "Hey, Ace. How are you doing?"

"_I'm never watching a horror movie again," _was her strong reply. Marco frowned sympathetically. Poor Ace. Not just a scary nightmare, waking up and seeing something horrifying next to your bed, standing over you, would ruin anybody's day.

"How are you other than that?" Marco asked kindly, walking through the backstage and out to the back parking lot. He stayed on the phone even while fans came after him for autographs and photos.

"_Okay, I guess. Though I'm afraid to go to sleep again. I can get hallucinations _before _bed, too! This is bull. So stupid and useless," _Ace grumbled.

"You didn't choose to have this happen, baby," Marco said.

Ace chuckled. "'_Baby', huh? Got cute names for me now? Pumpkin." _

"No. Do not call me pumpkin," Marco said, though he was smiling in amusement. "I gotta go, it's dark out and I'm driving home now. I'll try and see you tomorrow. Love you."

"_Love you, too. Be careful." _

"I will."

-x-

A couple of days had passed since Marco's first appearance on the talk show, and Ace had been overcome with subscribers, though this wasn't a positive for only one reason. The bonus five million subscribers didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the community, and soon other creators were making nasty videos about Ace's rise to success, even though she was already fairly popular on the site.

Ace shook it off, though it did disappoint her a bit. "I knew it would happen, I was prepared," she said, brushing off Marco's concerns once the situation had been brought to light on social media. Unsurprisingly, Ace's fans weren't happy about her treatment, and most of the hate videos had a huge margin of dislikes. After all, fifteen million dedicated fans fought for their precious Ace.

Ace refused to make any mention of any of the other channels calling her out. She refused to willingly partake in drama. "I don't need any more negativity on my plate right now," she had said when Marco brought the issue up. "To be honest, it's not a friendly community. Many channels get their views by taking others down, it's just how the platform is. But, I enjoy making my videos and interacting with my fans, so it's worth it to me, at least."

Marco admired her no-nonsense attitude and actions. It made him even more sure that, if they did break up in the future, it wouldn't be another drama disaster like the last time had been.

The YouTuber had been to the doctor again and been put on a strict regimen to help with the symptoms while she tried out the first attempt at medication. It was going to be hit or miss, but it was better than doing nothing about it. So, a new thing happened with her and Marco; they napped very often. Marco had never been one for naps, but curling up with Ace made him surprisingly sleepy.

Thankfully, her hallucinations had gone away for at least a few days, though she was scared of going to bed at night now. It was a mess, but she had vowed to not stay sad. She'd had enough sad for one lifetime.

Marco and Ace had gone out shopping once, Ace really wanting to get out of the house, but since Luffy and Sabo were at work, she wasn't able to go anywhere alone yet. So, she called Marco, feeling a bit useless, until Marco was glad to go shopping with her.

They were in Marco's normal person car and drove to the nearest grocery store. Both of them had hats and sunglasses on. Ace wasn't feeling the need to completely change her appearance since she'd already been outed. Marco secretly missed it. It had been so stupid but so fun at the same time.

All they did was pick out items from a list Ace had of things she and her brothers were in need of. To most, it might seem boring, just to walk around a supermarket and buy random items, but it felt natural just to do normal things with Ace. The trip ended without incidence, which both were grateful for. And Ace didn't have a sleep-attack, thankfully. So far, she hadn't passed out in public, which she was afraid of. She didn't want to get injured again and also be with strangers. That was why she wasn't allowed to go out alone until her medication was stable and effective.

Both of them unloaded the groceries to Ace's refrigerator and then took a nap. It was during their nap that his phone vibrated, since he mostly kept the phone on vibrate now after he was brought back into the public eye with the movie coming out and with Ace.

He didn't wake up from it, but did see it when he got up to use the bathroom. The hall bathroom, as Ace had her own attached to the room. Luffy and Sabo shared their bathroom. When he went back to bed, he saw who it was and was shocked. He hadn't talked to her in many years. His first girlfriend, Vivi. It had been a long time, after she cheated on him, and then messaged him back after he hit it big.

He was surprised based on what the message said. _I'm happy for you. _He had expected something nasty coming from her. But that was all there was. Curiously, he checked her page, and saw she was married now. Well, she found happiness, and it wasn't with Marco. And now he was glad, because if he had stayed with Vivi, he wouldn't be with Ace now.

_Thank you. _Was his message back. Polite and simple. He was still and would always be hurt by her betrayal, but she was being pleasant, and Marco would prefer that over something negative. She didn't respond again, and Marco laid back down next to Ace on her bed. She was curled around a huge stuffed bear Luffy had bought her after her first scary hallucination. She mumbled in her sleep something unintelligible. She talked in her sleep a lot, but it was almost always impossible to understand what she was saying.

Marco laid back down, listening to Ace's quiet snores and periodic mumbles until he fell back asleep again, too.

-x-

Five days after Marco's talk show appearance, he was getting ready for another interview, this time only about the movie, so Ace wasn't invited. She still had bruises on her face, but said once they faded she'd go on. She hadn't had any hallucinations since the medication, though she did still have sleep attacks, but only maybe one or two a day, and they never lasted long.

Marco was wearing a dress shirt and black slacks for the interview. Ace had wished him luck the day before, though he hadn't seen her as she was spending time with one of her long distance friends from the institution, Nami. She had tried to kill herself, too, after her boyfriend died in a house fire.

Ace wanted to introduce Nami to Marco, but the scheduling didn't work out. Though, Marco planned on being with Ace for a long time, so there would be other chances to meet her friends. Marco hoped that Ace would have a nice outing and not be seen by any media or fans that would recognize her. Nami was driving her, and they were going to get lunch at a place they used to go after being discharged around the same time.

He drove his nice car to the studio, hitting some traffic while he listened to the radio. He had fallen back into step incredibly easily, back into his world of interviews and events. It was very different when he was on break and spent most of his time with Ace. He did like the freedom to see her whenever he wanted, but he was looking forward to getting back to work.

The man was unsure about what kind of movie he wanted to make next. He'd done action, suspense, and drama. He was only the star in two of those, and the side character in the second. He was wary of a romance movie, because he didn't want to have to kiss anyone other than Ace. At least for now, while their relationship was still new. It had been around two months by now. Still fresh.

When he reached that day's interview, which wasn't live, he was ushered in by security who was waiting for him there. The press was outside, so they went through the back door. There were fewer paparazzi back there, and he gave them charming smiles, but didn't stop for any questions, pictures or autographs.

He had some touch ups done on him, which he'd gotten used to a long time ago. He was already wearing a nice outfit, so it was just a small bit of unnoticeable makeup. He walked into the familiar room and sat on the guest chair, with the host across from him, looking at papers, his questions, before filming started. Behind Marco was the poster for his movie.

The cameras started rolling and Marco put on his easy going expression, with a polite and small smile. "Nice to have you on Marco, and congrats on the movie's success," Tye said. He was a very common interviewer for movie stars, mostly the main characters. Side characters weren't there much. Well, Marco had been the only side character to be on after he became big after his first role.

"Good to be here, and thank you," Marco replied. Tye looked at his first question, and Marco answered them honestly. He responded about the ending in the way he had on the first talk show. The questions were easy to answer truthfully. He only started declining the questions when they changed from his movie, the reason he was there, to his relationship with Ace.

Some questions would have been welcomed, but Marco wasn't appreciating the questions he was being asked.

"You knew your new girlfriend was suicidal, didn't you? How do you feel about that?" Marco knew he liked to ask controversial questions, but Marco didn't want to talk about Ace. And not something personal. He expected that Ace would address her videos once she made an appearance with him when she was back to feeling confident.

"I know that, but I'd like to not talk about Ace," Marco said politely, but also strongly.

But, he pushed another question about Ace anyway. "Did you approve of her appearing to a red carpet event with a mask on?" Marco frowned at him, but did answer.

"I thought it was funny, but I don't want to talk about Ace," Marco repeated. His frown turned into a full on glare when the interviewer brought up Ace _again. _The star cut him off before he could finish his question. "I've told you twice I don't want to talk about Ace. I'm here to talk about my movie. If you don't want to talk about that, then the interview is over and I will leave," he said strongly. Tye put his hands up in surrender, like Marco had done something wrong by being assertive.

The rest of the interview was awkward to say the least, with Marco irritated and having clipped answers. Tye clearly had had a lot of questions about Ace because he skipped over much of his list that Marco didn't see.

He left in a bad mood, and drove home irritated. By the time he got home, he had cooled down a bit, and called Ace once he took his shoes off and left them by the front door, and closing the shudders over the window wall.

"_Hey," _Ace answered, sounding sleepy.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?" Marco asked as he lay on his back on the comfy couch.

"_Yeah, but it's fine. How did the interview go?" _she asked. Marco sighed.

"Not too good. I got mad at him because we were supposed to talk about the movie but he kept bringing you up. I'll probably look like an ass, but he wouldn't stop, so I threatened to leave if he didn't stop asking invasive questions. It was awkward to say the least," Marco explained. "It pissed me off," he added in a bitter voice.

"_I'm sorry. Sounds irritating. Was that the only bad part? Did anything good happen?" _she asked, trying to find a positive for Marco to stick to. He smiled at it.

"Not really. Well, there wasn't any traffic on the drive home, but that's not exactly something good. Just convenient. How did your trip with your friend go?" Marco asked. When Ace didn't answer, Marco asked, "Ace? Did something bad happen?" in concern.

"_I passed out at the restaurant we went to. Luckily, I didn't hurt myself, but Nami got really worried and tried shaking me awake. It caused a scene, and some people were filming. I think they thought I was really hurt. Luckily, I woke up before someone called 911. It was embarrassing," _Ace mumbled. Marco frowned for her.

"I'm sorry. The good thing is that it's now public knowledge that you have a medical condition that caused that to happen," Marco said, him now being the one to find something positive in a sucky situation.

"_I guess. The meds had been working well, and I thought I could handle going out. I was wrong," _she replied in an even voice. "_I bet it'll be posted online. At least I didn't faceplant into my food, or hurt my nose again. I just fell to the side a bit and landed against the wall. Though, no one laughed at me. They were all really concerned. I did explain afterwards that I had narcolepsy, and I was sorry for causing a scene and worrying people. No one was mean about it, thankfully, and I finished the food. Nami was really worried, though." _

"I'm glad no one was mean about it. If it is posted online, then it's posted online," Marco said, as there was nothing they could do about it now. But, Ace had explained already and anyone could look it up to see why she had passed out. "I'm sorry about it happening even when you're on medication."

"_I can deal with it as long as I don't hurt myself. What I'm most scared of coming back are the hallucinations. At least I didn't start screaming over a monster in public," _she said, trying her best to look at the bright side.

"That's good. I'm gonna go make dinner, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you. Sleep well," Marco said in a nice voice.

"_I love you too. Goodnight," _and she hung up. Marco was still in a bit of a bad mood after the interview, but talking to Ace had helped. She had a worse day than he did. Poor Ace. What a nightmare it would be to feel a sleep attack coming and unable to control your body or stop it. Marco couldn't imagine how stressful that would be. And scary, what if someone did something to you while you were unconscious? Or what if you seriously hurt yourself but were unable to call 911? It made him worry, but he didn't want to make Ace feel guilty for making him worry.

-x-

The next day, Ace was right, and the video was posted to YouTube and then posted on Twitter by, guess who, Pudding. The video was shortened for her post, leaving out the part where Ace woke up and explained what was wrong with her. It made Marco very angry, and he left a response on her post, something he very rarely, almost never, did. But, it pissed him off very much.

_If you had actually watched the whole video or done your research before posting nasty things, you'd know she has a medical condition. We're never getting back together so stop targeting the woman I love._

He posted it immediately, and didn't have any regrets. Since he had blocked her from messaging him, she couldn't send him a message, and instead replied to his comment. He chose not to read it at first, before he gave in and saw what she posted. _You're just settling. _

_I settled with __**you**_ _for way too long. _He knew it was unprofessional, but he was sick of her. He just wanted her to go away, and not bother him anymore. She hadn't contacted him for a long time, but then right after it comes out he's with someone again, she came back to harass them.

He didn't look at her next reply. He said what he needed to say, and didn't feel like letting her ruin his morning anymore. His post had thousands of retweets and likes just by the next hour. He called Ace, thinking she would be awake by then, but she wasn't and he got her voicemail. He knew she wouldn't ignore his call of purpose, so he thought she was asleep.

Even when she went to bed exhausted, sleep eluded her often now, so she ended up sleeping in on some days. It was lucky she didn't have the type of job that her narcolepsy would interfere with. Marco was never bothered when she called him in the middle of the night, asking for him to tell her a story. He wanted to help her with this in any way he could.

She called him around noon. "_Sorry I missed you call, I was asleep. Didn't sleep well last night. Again," _she said after picking up.

"I'm sorry. Did you have any hallucinations?" Marco asked in concern, sitting at the kitchen counter and drinking a cup of strong coffee. He had been craving it for some reason, even if he wasn't tired and it was no longer in the morning.

"_No, I didn't. Thankfully. I saw your response to Pudding. She's really annoying." _

"I agree. She messaged me not long ago but I blocked her. I don't understand why she's bothering me _now. _It's been a long time since the break up. My first girlfriend, who cheated on me and went to someone else, messaged me, too. I was really surprised by it. She just said, 'I'm happy for you'. She's married now, to the guy she left me for. But, I'm not sad about it anymore. If I was still with her, then I wouldn't be with you," Marco said, though he had a feeling Ace wouldn't mind him having a friendly exchange with someone from his past. Ace hadn't even gotten upset with him talking to Pudding.

"_That's nice. I'm glad she isn't harassing you, too. One bitch is enough," _she replied. Marco agreed with that statement. "_Sabo finished editing his book. It's all he does when he gets home from work. He stays awake all night to finish it. I'm really happy for him, so me and Luffy are throwing him a surprise party. Do you want to come?" _

"Sure. I'm glad he was able to finish it. I'll have Thatch cook something nice. What is Sabo's favorite food?"

"_He really likes stir fry. I was planning on making a recipe we have that he really likes, but Sabo likes peppermint brownies that Thatch could make for the party. It's only going to be me, Luffy, Koala and Sabo's work buddy, Law," _she said. Then she chuckled. "_Luffy has a crush on Law when he sees him when we go to pick up Sabo from work if he doesn't drive." _

Marco was surprised to hear _Luffy _of all people had a crush on someone. He just seemed so damn clueless about so much, and Marco wondered what kind of guy this Law was. Well, he'd meet him.

"_The party will be on Saturday. In the morning after Sabo gets back from coffee with Law. He's in on the plan and giving us time to throw things together. I've met the guy, he's a bit, well, boring, but he's smart and polite. He's just quiet and doesn't smile much," _Ace explained. While Marco replied he heard what he assumed was Ace brushing her teeth.

"That's the polar opposite to Luffy," Marco observed. He heard running water before Ace replied.

"_Sometimes opposites attract, I guess," _she replied. "_I got a text from your brother, Vista. His daughter really wants to meet me. Can you drive me or are you busy today? I don't mean to be a bother," _she added, though it didn't sound too sad. Like she was stating a fact. But, Marco was free that day. He was going on a news show to talk about his stunts tomorrow, but today was fine.

"Yeah, today is fine for me. And you're not a bother. This is only temporary until you get on the right medication." He imagined Ace pouting on the other line. If there was one thing that Ace was never going to see positively, it was her narcolepsy. She could be positive and look at the good thnigs that had happened after her attempted suicide, and the mess with her family, but not this. It was affecting her daily life and hallucinations were on the top of the list of things Marco hoped he'd never have happen to him.

"_Great! She said she gets out of school at 3:00, so can you pick me up at 3:30? I don't know where they live, though I assume you do," _Ace said.

"Yup. I'll see you in a couple hours. Love you," he said.

"_Love you, too." _

Marco was planning on going to Ace's favorite coffee shop to get her an espresso to help her be awake with Mocha. She was a really sweet girl, Marco's favorite niece. She had a lot of friends, but was very insecure over her size. She was taller than all of those in her age group, and sometimes other kids made fun of her. But there was nothing she could do about her height. Ace was able to lose weight, but you can't decrease height.

Vista had talked to Marco about Mocha and he had restricted her viewing on Ace's more mature videos. He set up a restriction on all of the YouTube videos that weren't suitable for kids. Luckily, many of Ace's videos were kid friendly. Just not the heavier topics.

Half an hour before he was to go pick her up, Marco got the coffee and a croissant he knew she liked, and drove to her place. She walked out to the front, no disguise on. No one had found her place yet, thankfully. She climbed into the passenger side and thanked Marco when he handed her the food and drink.

Vista didn't live far from Pops, though his house was much more modest and smaller. After all, it was only him and his daughter, as his wife had passed away two years ago from cancer. Many of his siblings were not married, and a few had a boyfriend or girlfriend. But most of them were single. The only other married sibling was Rayuko, and he had one daughter and two sons.

When they arrived at the house, Marco was not surprised that Ace had fallen asleep. It was clear that when she wasn't the one driving, it lulled her to sleep, even if they had some music playing.

But, it wasn't a sleep attack, so she woke up when he said her name. Marco was unsure of whether he should leave or stay. He would come and pick Ace back up since she had no other way home by herself. He decided to stay and spend some time with Vista. Mocha would probably want to talk to Ace alone.

Ace knocked on the door of the nice sized, two story home. Vista opened the door and smiled at Ace, not surprised to see Marco as he had contacted him earlier and warned he would come to bring Ace. The whole family, even those who didn't watch her videos, knew about the narcolepsy.

"Mocha, Ace is here," Vista called once the three were in the entrance hall. Ace took her coat off and put it on the coat rack by the double doors. She pulled something out of her bag that Marco hadn't known it was there. Her book, but it was in hard back instead of paperback. She put her phone in her pocket when Mocha came out.

The little girl looked so excited to see Ace, and barely gave Marco a glance. "Hi, Mocha," Ace said cheerily. Mocha grinned at her and grew a bit shy, but Ace smiled at her, and she lead Ace to her room. Vista trusted Ace, and as Mocha and Ace walked up the stairs, Marco went to the living room with his older brother.

They made small talk, and Vista expressed that he saw Marco's movie, though didn't bring Mocha. Seeing her uncle die would be upsetting for her. "Yeah, I don't think I'll take another role where my character dies. I went to see it with Ace on the opening night, and I forgot to tell her I died. She cried in the theater. I felt so guilty. Still do," Marco explained.

"Yeah, it was hard to watch," Vista replied. "Though the rest of the movie was good. I saw your interview. That guy was an ass." Marco nodded in agreement.

"I should've known that he would do that, though. He feeds of controversial stuff, just has never had a reason to do it with me. I was naive to not expect it would end up like that. Luckily, I've gotten very little backlash from it. I thought it would be a big deal, but it passed with almost no incidence.

"If anything, the whole exchange with Pudding got more attention," Marco stated, sounding irritable. Vista frowned.

"She was a bitch," Vista said, surprising Marco since Vista rarely swore after Mocha was born. "What, Mocha is upstairs." Marco chuckled. They both hear laughter coming from Mocha's room, as her door was open, though the two men couldn't hear the conversation.

"How is Ace doing with the narcolepsy?" Vista asked curiously, though also having sadness in his voice. He felt bad for Ace. Marco sighed sadly.

He answered, "Not too good. Luckily, she hasn't had cataplexy, and no hallucinations for awhile. She is having trouble with sleeping. Ace is not allowed to drive until it's completely under control." Vista frowned, feeling for Ace. "But, you don't need to worry. She's strong. Stronger than anyone knows."

And she was. No one but her, her brothers, and now Marco, knew of the aftermath of her time in the institution. About the nightmare she went home to. Yet, she could go through such hell and still come out strong. "She'll be okay," Marco said confidently.

The two talked about Vista's life, and how it's been going. Vista wasn't one of Marco's more close siblings, so he wasn't up to date on his personal life. They rarely saw each other when it wasn't some sort of event with Pops. He was still having a hard time with his wife having died, but Mocha made him have a reason to continue working. Something to take care of.

Mocha and Ace came down the stairs around forty five minutes after they arrived. Ace had a look of relief on her face, and Marco assumed she hadn't passed out in front of the young girl. "Marco, I should go back home now. Luffy called and said he doesn't feel well, and Sabo is at work."

"You mean he has no dinner so he wants you to come and make it?" Marco clarified. Ace chuckled.

"Yeah, he didn't sound particularly sick," she replied. Mocha said he just sounded whiny, making the two who knew how true that was laugh. Ace pulled something out of her pocket and put it in Mocha's hands. It was a rubber bracelet, orange and pink like a sunset, and had white words on it, saying, "Respect, Courage, Kindness". Marco knew that was the slogan of the anti-bullying organization Ace helped to represent.

She wasn't the leader of it, but one of the more dedicated and well known sort of sponsor. Her name brought it the most attention due to her popularity and following. "Thank you!" Mocha said, putting it on. It fit perfectly. "I like it. And thanks for the book."

Ace smiled. "No problem. We're sorta like family now, right?"

Mocha grinned. "I'm glad Marco's with you," she said sincerely

"Me too," Ace replied. "Now, I gotta go see my poor brother who can't live alone even if his life depended on it. I'll see you again sometime, okay?"

"Yeah! I'll tell my friends all about what you told me. Daddy, she said so many good things!" Vista grinned and thanked Ace, saying goodbye with a hug to Marco. In the car, Ace was humming, neither of them talking about what she and Mocha had talked about. Privacy and all. Then, she suddenly brought up something that hadn't talked about before.

"We should do something cool. Go shark diving, or sky diving. Something really fun and unique," she said out of nowhere.

"Shark diving? Why on earth would you want to do that?" Marco asked. He had never, ever, once thought that swimming with sharks, or even being in a cage, would be fun. Ace frowned.

"They're not so bad," she argued. "I've always wanted to do it, but Luffy and Sabo both refuse. Sabo said he didn't want to kill himself and Luffy complained that he couldn't eat sharks." She sounded genuinely disappointed. Marco hadn't thought of Ace as the thrill seeker type.

"If you're thrill seeking, why not go to an amusement park?" Marco offered. "It's probably much safer than skydiving or swimming with _sharks._" Ace pouted, and said roller coasters were overrated. "I love you, Ace, but I'm not going shark diving," Marco said.

"Hmph. What about one of your fourteen brothers? Would one of them go with me?" Ace asked. Marco glanced at her as they drove, and asked, "Are you seriously thinking of doing it?" Ace shrugged.

"It would be really fun, though. Even if it went south, wouldn't having a shark bite be a cool scar?" Ace asked, again, trying to find the bright side in anything. "It would sure make you seem badass. Survived a shark attack. Of course, I would want to keep my limbs and vital body parts," the young woman rambled, putting her elbow on the door and looking out the window.

Marco did agree that a shark bite scar would be cool, but he would still never do it. "If you really did want to do it, I'm sure Haruta would go. He's gone skydiving multiple times and has scuba dived. Too bad we live nowhere near the ocean. We're practically land locked here."

Ace hummed. "Haruta is one of the four youngest with you, Izo and Thatch, right?" Marco nodded. "Well, would you go skydiving? I'll settle for now. Besides, I can't drive right now and passing out in the water full of sharks might not be the best idea. Not now, but I will do it someday."

Marco thought for a moment. Skydiving seem terrifying, but Ace was looking at him with a hopeful expression. "I'll think about it," was his answer. She seemed to consider this a win.

"Well, we don't have to go anytime soon. Just, someday, it'll be really fun. I know it. And if something goes wrong, you'll die flying." Marco scoffed.

"How do you almost always find something good about a bad situation?" Marco asked. Ace shrugged, but then answered.

"Seeing only the bad in things make life boring and negative. Everything can be spun in a bad light, but they can also be spun in a good light. At least, in my experience," she replied. Her phone rang Luffy's Pokemon ringtone, and Ace sighed. "Luffy, we are on the way, okay? Eat some cereal in the meantime, okay?" she asked, sounding exasperated but also reluctantly fond. Everyone seemed to have a soft spot for the child in a young adult's body. "Alright, we'll be there as soon as possible. No, you're not going to die. We don't live in poverty and don't have food, you just can't cook."

More complaining was heard, and Ace finally snapped. "I will make you dinner soon, okay? You're a big boy, eat something else while you wait." Ace huffed once the phone call was over. "God, I feel like I'm raising a child sometimes."

"Well, if you ever want to have kids then this is good practice," Marco said lightly. Ace sighed.

"I can't complain. It's my fault he doesn't live with our parents anymore. I guess me and Sabo just had to take on the mom and dad roles. He's always been childish. I remember when he was adopted with me and Sabo, he was only two. He was the most annoying thing on the planet for awhile, for both me and Sabo. Both of us were five. Luffy cried about _everything _for years_. _But, our parents adored him. It's a Luffy thing. He steals anybody's heart, no matter if it is against their will."

Marco smiled. "Well, hopefully he can do the same for Law, right? But, if he gets in a relationship, he may grow up," Marco pointed out.

"Or find a new parent figure. Don't know if he even knows what romantic feelings feel like. Law is an attractive guy, I guess, so maybe it's that," Ace offered. "I want him to be happy and have a good relationship. Me and Sabo have had good luck. Koala is Sabo's first partner, and they met in college. I was never jealous of them, since I was never looking for love. Well, it found me, I didn't go looking for it," she added.

Marco chuckled. "Well, technically, you were the one to approach me first."

"You were the one who asked to go steady," Ace argued, though neither of them were angry. Just bantering back and forth. The talked and joked the whole way back to Ace's place, and she didn't fall asleep once. He parked in the underground and dropped her off, wishing her luck with Luffy. She smiled and waved goodbye before going inside and up to her unit.

-x-

Marco, Luffy and Koala sat on the couch in Ace's living room, waiting for Law to bring Sabo home for his party. It wasn't much, there were no real decorations other than a large piece of paper with "CONGRATULATIONS!" on it. Ace was in the kitchen, working on dinner. It smelled really good, and the brownies Thatch had made at Ace's request were in a tub in the refrigerator.

Koala, like last time, was polite and positive, sharing comfortable small talk with Marco as Ace hummed in the kitchen. Marco had not known Ace could be a somewhat ridiculous perfectionist, which was why she was cooking alone. She wanted to make the food perfectly for Sabo so she made it alone, even after Marco had offered to help.

Sabo had been such a great brother through everything that Ace wanted to have this day be super special, even if it wasn't much. Just friends and close family with good food and cheerful attitudes.

Luffy was unusually quiet that day, but not because he was upset or not feeling good. Marco was sure it was because he was nervous about seeing his crush. Having his crush, Law, in his home of all places. Marco was surprised, though, when Luffy started tidying things up. Koala watched him in amusement, but didn't tease him about it. Now, Marco had been inside Luffy's room, and it was a mess, so seeing him tidy up the already relatively clean living room and dining room was strange. His bedroom door was shut completely, and his hamster had joined the group in his little ball.

Marco was still impressed the thing was still alive with having Luffy as an owner. Chopper didn't pay any attention to Surume. Marco was sure now that Chopper wasn't fond of him. The small dog almost always disappeared when Marco was over. He had only approached Marco himself a few times over the past couple months. He hadn't done anything to scare him off, so it made Marco sad. Maybe animals just didn't like him.

Ace had assured him when he brought the issue, what he felt was an issue, up that Chopped didn't dislike him as a person, but that he was jealous. When Marco was over, all of Ace's attention was on him. Chopper didn't like this. Ace said he'd always wanted to be the center of attention all the time.

She had explained that for a while, Chopper was Ace's only friend besides her brothers, so he was used to being her center of attention. Marco tried to be friendly with the dog multiple times, but he would always go to the nearest bed or dog bed to sleep the whole time Marco was present.

Marco was talking with Koala when Ace's phone beeped in the kitchen. "He's coming! Turn off the lights but open the curtains. I still need to be able to cook," she called from the other room. Marco heard the stove being turned off and noises of Ace moving things about on the kitchen counter.

Luffy started pacing back and forth nervously, looking down, and Marco felt sorry for him. He had hated the feeling he'd gotten when he thought he liked Ace and didn't know how she felt. It was an uncomfortable feeling. But it was entertaining to see such a different side of Luffy.

The key started turning a few moments later, and they could hear Sabo asking why Law had followed him up. "To make sure you got here okay," the voice said in a bored manner. Marco glanced to Luffy, who was grinning. Marco smiled fondly at it.

When the lock turned and the door opened, the four people cheered, "Congratulations!" To say Sabo was surprised was an understatement. But then he beamed when he saw who was there. He dropped his bag on the floor and ran to Koala. He pulled her into a big hug before kissing her passionately.

Ace walked in, wiping her hands with a washcloth, smiling. Koala was very clearly the best part for Sabo. Since Koala worked in a different town now, they were in a long distance relationship, but Ace had said it worked surprisingly well for them. None of their love or passion had faded even after being separated.

Meanwhile, Luffy was being extremely obvious by hiding behind the corner of the bathroom and peeking out at Law, who looked like a grumpy guy who never slept. He had dark eyes with dark circles under them, and wore a white and black spotted, furry hat. And Luffy's cheeks were bright red.

Marco glanced at Ace, who was having a hard time not laughing. Surume ran passed everyone, rolling along the carpet and repeatedly bumping up against Law's foot. But, to his credit, all he did was pick the hamster ball up and set it back down behind him to roll away. Ace went back to the kitchen, and almost automatically, Sabo went in to help.

"I already finished the food, Sabo," Ace said as she got out plates and silverware. It was like the siblings were a team as Sabo took the plates and opened the rice cooker, putting a portion of rice on the plates and handing them back to Ace to pour the sauce and stir fry mix over them. They worked in sync perfectly, and Marco had a feeling Thatch would be impressed just by the fluidity of their team work.

Marco went in to help take the dishes out. He knew which one was for Luffy, as it was the jumbo plate. Law had taken his hat off and put it on the table, revealing a mop of messy black hair not unlike Luffy's. Like at Christmas, everyone ate at the living room, on the couch or sitting on the floor.

The two couples were sitting next to each other while everyone talked and celebrated Sabo's book's completion, even if there was a still a long way to go before they could celebrate it being released. Sabo had never talked about his book in front of Marco, and though he'd been curious, he hadn't pushed it when Sabo looked uncomfortable.

Law ended up sitting next to Luffy, and after the youngest of the group finished his food and looked longingly at Law's, the older man, around Ace and Sabo's age, took his plate and scooped some of it off of his and onto Luffy's. It was nice, but it also might have been to get Luffy to stop drooling.

Ace didn't chide him even though he could go eat what was left and not take Law's serving. Everyone listened raptly when Sabo started talking about the plot of his book. It wasn't what Marco had expected it to be.

"The main character is a child with a mental illness, going through this fantastical world that the readers don't know if its real or all in the girl's mind. Her family had disappeared and once they had left, she stopped aging somehow. So, the reader doesn't know until the end if it's a real experience, or if the girl is actually sitting in a mental hospital, exploring her own mind endlessly. I'm not gonna tell you the end, though," he explained. Ace and Luffy shared slightly sad looks, and Marco wondered if it had to do with the theme of mental illness that could have been inspired by Ace's situation.

"So, did her family leave her, or die?" Marco wondered.

"The reader doesn't know until the end. It's a sad ending, though. My book isn't a happy story," he said. "It actually started out a drawing I made when I was in my late teens." Sabo didn't know that Ace had told Marco about what had really happened, the story that Ace left out in her videos.

And maybe this book had been Sabo's outlet through all of the pain and stress over what happened before and after Ace attempted to kill herself. After all, it would be hard to have your sister attempt suicide, be taken away for months while she was badmouthed and hated at home, only to get shunned by everyone. It wasn't just Ace who lost her family. But Sabo and Luffy as well.

After they finished eating the delicious stir fry, they started playing Monopoly, and to say Luffy didn't understand the rules would be an understatement. Law continued to try and correct his rules, but the childish man just wasn't getting it so Law figuratively threw his hands up and they played with Luffy as a handicap. Koala won each round.

Ace's eyes began to droop at one point, and she grumbled, "I need a nap, Sabo. Sorry," and got up, sluggishly walking to her room, but leaving the door open. Marco was able to see her immediately pass out the moment she hit the bed. He smiled fondly and stood up to go and tuck her in, as half of her body was hanging over the side of the bed.

He gently picked his small lover up and tucked her in under the blankets. She mumbled but then relaxed and now looked like melted butter. Marco leaned down and kissed her forehead before going back to the living room with the others, leaving Ace's door open a crack.

"I saw your movie, Marco," Koala said from Sabo's lap, back being held against his chest. "You did a good job in the end." Marco frowned, along with Sabo. Koala looked at them curiously, wondering what had made both of them seem so down.

"I had forgotten to tell Ace that I had died. She was really upset when we went to see it. I still feel bad about it," Marco confessed. Sabo nodded, as Ace had come home to him upset and no doubt would have explained why.

"Oh, that's too bad," Koala replied. "Did she like the rest of it?" Marco nodded, thankful that Ace hadn't hated _all _of the movie. Just the ending. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if she _knew _beforehand what was to happen in the end.

Ace's nap wasn't long at all, and she soon came out of her room and walked to the couch to plop herself down in Marco's lap like Koala was in Sabo's. "Thanks for tucking me in," Ace said quietly. Marco nodded and gestured to Luffy, who was talking with Law with a big smile. Law wasn't smiling, but didn't look upset. He seemed to be a grumpy looking man, but it didn't mean he was. Like Kingdew, who always looked pissy but wasn't.

Law had resting-bitch-face, but he seemed friendly enough with Luffy. Surprisingly patient. Marco could tell that the best part of Sabo's party for him was Koala. Marco wished that Sabo was able to see her more, but her job kept her in different places, and Sabo was happy she had a job she liked, so he was fine with the long distance as long as she was happy.

The party was over a few hours after dinner, and Law left first. Koala would be spending the night at Ace's with Sabo. Luffy bounced around the apartment the moment Law left, gushing about how much fun he had and all about how nice Law was. It made the others in the room laugh.

Marco was eating one of the last brownies he'd brought when Izo texted him a photo. It was a picture from a news article talking about there being a hold up in one of the apartment units. Not his, though. A resident had a gun and wouldn't leave.

_Might not want to go home tonight. You're welcome to stay at my place. _

Marco frowned, wondering which neighbor was doing this, and hoping no one was hurt. It was lucky he had family in the same city for emergencies like this. Ace saw him frown and his phone and asked what was wrong.

"There's a police scene at my apartment. Someone is holding up their place with a gun. Izo invited me to go to his place for tonight," Marco explained.

"You could stay here if you want, though we don't have a guest bedroom like at your place," Ace replied, taking the last and smallest mint brownie and popping it in her mouth. They really were delicious.

"I can sleep on the couch, or-"

"You can sleep with me. My bed is big enough," Ace offered, though her cheeks were red. She was quick to add, "I mean, we've napped together before, and-" Marco cut her off, seeing she was feeling flustered and embarrassed.

"I'll stay with you," he said. She smiled in relief. "I'll tell Izo that I won't need to go to his place." Ace nodded and looked at the clock. They still had a few hours before bed would be reasonable. Marco texted Izo, _I'll be staying at Ace's but thanks for the heads up._

_Ooooo…_

_Shut up. _

Ace and Marco had never spent the night together. Last time, Ace had slept in Marco's guest bedroom weeks ago. But, they had napped together, so what was different about just sleeping through the night? But then Marco looked at himself. These were not pyjama clothes. Ace seemed to tell what Marco was thinking.

"Sabo should have some pyjama bottoms that would fit you okay. Might be a bit short since you're taller, though," she said and walked down the hall to Sabo's room. "Sab? Marco's gonna be spending the night, do you have any clean extra pyjama bottoms?"

A few seconds passed before the bedroom door was opened and Ace came out with some faded plaid sweats. They would be short on Marco, but it would be better than going to bed in jeans. "Thanks. Luckily I wore a t-shirt and not a dress shirt," Marco commented.

Ace nodded and went to her room to take off her dress and change into pjs. Marco went to the hall bathroom to get out of his jeans and try on the pants. They showed his ankles, but were fine around the waist and butt. He had no toothbrush, but that was fine for one night, right? He'd just take a mint before bed so he didn't risk bad breath when sleeping with Ace.

He was going to spend the night sleeping with Ace. It made him smile. Maybe he could help her get a good night's sleep, which he knew she had a lot of trouble with sometimes. But at least, if she couldn't sleep, she didn't need to call him about it. He'd be right there.

Sabo and Koala stayed in Sabo's room while Luffy was in his and Ace and Marco were in the living room, talking about what they'd missed since they last saw each other. It wasn't much as they texted almost every day, even when they didn't physically see each other. Ace's nose was healing well and the bruises were all but gone, looking mostly back to normal, even though she still had a bandage on her nose when she wasn't at home, so it didn't risk someone else somehow touching it and not knowing it was healing from being broken.

"When is the next talk show?" Ace asked. Marco had been busy with interviews from multiple sources, online and in person. But, still, a major talking point was Ace and his silence on the subject had created some sort of mystery feeling about her, even though she now posted a small amount of photos on her instagram of them, like the photos they took when they went hiking.

Unlike some celebrity couples, Marco and Ace were relatively private with their affections, meaning neither of them posted tons of stuff about the other, or about what they did together, or going into detail with everything. So, people had become very curious about what kinds of things they did together.

The two were still very good at being disguised, even if Ace had stopped with the crazy wigs that attracted attention, and now went for more subtle colors and styles. Marco still wore hats, but he had worn a wig a few times when he really didn't want to risk being seen since it was very nice outside and he didn't want to stay home that day.

"In a few days. Going onto one on Friday evening," Marco replied to her question. She was quiet for a minute.

"If you want me to, I'll go with you," she finally said. Marco raised his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn't asked about it in awhile, even though _he _was asked constantly by fans and interviewers whenever he declined to talk about her without her there.

"Really?" Ace nodded. "Only if you really want to come, I don't want you being uncomfortable." She shook her head.

"No, it's time that I go out, everyone is super curious and I'm betting you are getting tired of deflecting questions about me and us," she replied. "My nose is almost completely back to normal and it's been many weeks since we were exposed. I can tell people are getting frustrated without answers."

Marco looked interested. "Have people been messaging you?" Ace shrugged.

"A bit. Not anything mean, but I'm getting a lot of requests to be on shows. Not super popular ones like the ones you go on. I've been declining, cause I'm not going on a show to talk about us unless you're there, too. Like you have been doing," Ace explained.

"Why didn't you mention it?"

"Cause it's not a big deal. I already know I don't want to go on without you. Though I have been polite with the declines, so don't worry about that," she replied with a smile. Marco wasn't mad that she didn't tell him. It really wasn't a big deal, as he was turning down the exact same people for the exact same reason.

The two got ready for bed at 10:30, Ace's eyelids started to droop while they were on the couch. Ace gave Marco an unused toothbrush and he got ready in the guest bathroom while Ace did so in the one attached to her bedroom.

Luffy had gone to bed not long ago, and Marco could hear him snoring through the still closed door. He didn't know if Sabo and Koala were asleep or doing something else, and if they were asleep, didn't want to go and wake them up to try and say "goodnight".

The lights in the living room were turned off while the light above the stove stayed on and lit the space enough to safely walk through in the dark. Marco walked into Ace's room as she tossed stuffed animals onto the floor and situated pillows on her bed. It was pressed up against the wall, which was the side Marco would be sleeping on, so Ace moved aside for him to get on first.

It wasn't awkward, per say, but a bit nerve wracking. Ace was very stiff in bed until Marco draped an arm over her, and she seemed to completely relax. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep, surprising Marco honestly. Ace had said she had trouble falling asleep most nights, but only called him sometimes, not wanting to have it be a nightly thing, waking him up in the middle of the night every night.

He took it as a good sign that she fell asleep, and nodded off as well, the smell of Ace's hair on the pillow in front of his making him smell flowers. He stayed asleep the whole night, and neither of them snored. At least, nothing like how most of Marco's family and Luffy did. He woke up to a loud gasp, and then breathless chuckle next to him.

The room was lit from the sunlight coming through the blinds and Ace looked amused next to him. "M-Morning," he yawned widely.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up. I forgot you were here for a second. So turning around and seeing someone else in my bed with me startled me." He smiled, amused as well. Marco lifted his head to look at the digital clock across the room that showed it was 9:20. The usual time Ace woke up around. Somewhere between nine and ten.

Ace was about to get up, when Marco, a bit bashfullly, asked, "Could we stay like this. J-Just for a little bit?" With the light blush and fond smile Ace wore, he blushed a bit but she then burrowed back under the covers with him. She unnecessarily said, "Hm, this is nice." Marco woke up more from her words, as he'd started drifting back to sleep.

"Yeah," he agreed quietly. A few minutes later, there was banging on Ace's door. Ace didn't seem surprised, but Marco jerked in startlement.

"_Ace? Ace, I-" _

"_Luffy, stop it, she's with Marco," _they heard Koala's voice snap in a hush. Ace snorted at it, while Marco sighed, wishing they were at _his _place so nothing and nobody would bother them. Ace's bed was surprisingly comfortable, though. Marco had an expensive mattress in both bedrooms, but Ace's was nice to sleep on, too.

"I need to use the bathroom," Ace murmured, getting Marco to unwrap his arm around her to let her get up. He threw the covers off of himself and sat up, picking his phone up off of the bedside table that held two water bottles in case either of them had woken up thirsty. He checked his phone to see Izo had sent him confirmation that the incident was over and it was safe for him to go home. He smiled softly, not realizing how much he had missed sleeping with someone else. It had been a long time since anyone had shared the bed with Marco, since he hadn't dated since Pudding and wasn't one to do one night stands. But, sleeping with Ace felt like they were two puzzle pieces. She fit so nicely against his chest. She was shorter than Pudding had been, and even though she was stronger than the women Marco had been with, she was also the daintiest, despite her toned muscles.

She came out of her bathroom brushing her teeth and held up the one Marco had used. He took the invitation and brushed his teeth next to her. They got ready like she'd done it hundreds of times before. Marco had, since he'd lived with his previous girlfriends before the break ups. Marco had learned to think that Ace was just great at adapting, and that's why she was so good at thing she'd never done before.

After breakfast, which was eggs or cereal, Marco went home to change his clothes and shower. He kissed Ace on the forehead, who hugged him tightly. "Careful. Will you call me when you talk to someone about appearing on TV?"

"Of course. I'll talk to you in a bit," Marco replied with a smile. He put his baseball hat on and some sunglasses in a style he didn't usually wear, and walked down to his car. He was so happy that none of Ace's immediate neighbors had ratted her out, but then again, they would be impacted by the media showing up as well.

They were all just lucky it was a nice apartment and you needed to be buzzed in or have keys to get to the residents' doorways. There were a lot of people milling around out front, so Marco decided to tell them that he was fine, since many would be worried about him after the building was closed for people to enter or exit last night.

"Marco!" multiple people asked, some with cameras and others who were just worried fans. "What happened last night, were you alright?" Marco gave a TV smile.

"I stayed over at my brother's house last night, as there was a situation with the police. I don't know the details, just that it was unsafe for me to go home last night," he explained simply. "But, everything is fine now, and there's no need to worry." He signed a few relieved fans' notebooks and took some photos before he went back inside, home to shower.

He smiled to himself when he got out of the shower and thought about how nice it was to get ready with someone else. Since he'd started dating Ace, and especially after having her spend the night or him going to her place with Sabo and Luffy there, he'd gotten a bit lonely at home by himself. He used to like the quiet and being able to do whatever he wanted with no one else there, but he was starting to consider getting a pet.

Not a dog, but possibly a cat. He wasn't going to tell anyone until he was absolutely sure, so he didn't get anyone's hopes up to have him get a companion. Plus, if Ace did ever move in with him, and she brought Chopper, the dog didn't like him anyways, so a cat that _did _like him would be better.

But, he wouldn't bring up Ace living with him for months at least. She lived in a good situation with her brothers. The rent was easy to pay when all of them had stable jobs, and Ace loved her brothers dearly and would probably not want to move away from them anytime soon, regardless of whether she was in love with Marco.

His brothers would tease him about _now _wanting a pet after he can't spend all his time with Ace. After his shower, he went to the living room and sat on the couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table before calling Anthony. It wasn't too early that he would be bothered by Marco calling, and he would probably be happy to finally be told Ace would be willing to show up.

"_Hey, Marco. How are you doing?" _Anthony greeted. Marco had to give him credit for answering all of his calls almost immediately. Of course, it was his job to answer Marco's calls, but still. Marco could appreciate promptness.

"I'm doing pretty well. Ace said she's ready to go onto some talk show or interview. I know people have been asking right and left for her to appear, but I'd like us to do a show with one of my more regulars," Marco explained. He heard Anthony make some frantic noise over the call and knew he must be excited to finally have an interview the public had been dying for for weeks.

"_How about with Tom? He's your favorite and you're his, so it would work out well. Is there a certain day that is good for you?" _On the way out, Marco had asked what day would be best, and Ace had replied that anytime was good, and that her video schedule could wait a day if need be, or be shot earlier.

"Any day is good for both of us. I have an interview on _Ellen_ next week, so some time this week would be ideal. But, not tomorrow, I think I need to get Ace ready for it, since she's never been in front of the camera like this," Marco explained. He stood up and walked to the window wall, raising the curtains to look over the spectacular view of the city. He was able to see directly down and saw that much of the crowd outside had diminished.

"_Alright, I'll get back to you about it as soon as I can." _

"Thanks," and he hung up. Not long after, Thatch messaged, asking if Marco wanted to have dinner with him and Izo. It was probably to ask about what had happened at Ace's place last night. It would be a boring story most likely, and it wasn't as if he would _share _if they'd done anything intimate that was no one elses' business.

Plus, Marco was sure he and Ace wouldn't have done anything with three other people in the house, especially when her brother, who could barge in or bang on the door at any moment, was across the hall. There would be almost no real privacy when Luffy was there. Marco liked him, and Ace adored him, but the guy could be very annoying. Marco would never say that other than joking, though. He didn't hate Luffy, he could just be a nuisance sometimes.

But, so could some of Marco's family. He assumed all families had that annoying one, or more than one. Marco wished that Ace and her brothers had more family. That they weren't completely alone and had been disowned. Though, the disownment seemed mutual.

Although, Marco couldn't say that Ace _not _having a big family was a step down from Pudding's family. She had more siblings than Marco had, and that was a real feat. He had never met Pudding's parents, and she didn't talk about them, but her siblings had been mostly less than friendly with him. Some were downright mean and nasty. Pudding didn't seem to like Marco's family and Marco didn't like Pudding's. Things in that department were much easier with Ace.

After Anthony called back not much later, which surprised Marco as it was a Sunday and he didn't think anyone could make contact with the show over the weekend so easily, Marco called Ace. He had responded to Thatch about dinner, so he would be going over there at six.

"_Hey," _Ace greeted. He could hear other people and machines in the background, and assumed Ace had gone to the gym with Luffy. Luffy had been going with her on his days off to make sure that she got there okay and was safe. They walked to the gym instead of driving because it was close to their home and Luffy didn't have a license.

"Am I interrupting?" Marco asked.

"_No, I'm taking a break right now. I've had my first encounter with press. They found me at the gym. Luffy is my bodyguard and is annoying them to death until they leave. Its actually working," _Ace snorted. Marco chuckled, too, but felt bad she was being bothered.

"Well, we're set to go on a show on Tuesday evening, if that's okay for you," Marco explained.

"_O-okay,"_ Ace replied, suddenly sounding nervous. Marco didn't comment on it, and said, "Why don't you come over tomorrow and we can talk about what to say on the show?" Marco asked. Ace agreed it would be a good idea, and that she'd talk to him tonight. "Alright. Love you."

"_Love you, too." _

Marco hung up and then checked his refrigerator for something to drink. He had nothing but milk, and realized he needed to go grocery shopping. He might go out without a disguise this time, telling people to watch Tom's Late Show on Tuesday night for some answers everyone had been looking for. Just going shopping could turn into a good thing for publicity.


	9. The Interview

**One more chapter of this story and then it's done. I'm really disappointed that this one got barely any attention. :( I'm editing another Marco x Ace story right now, nothing like this one. It's very long. I hope that one gets some more attention. This chapter is incredibly short compared to the previous ones, but I had to stop it where it was stopped. **

* * *

Marco was at Thatch's place, sitting at the dining table, as today they were eating at the table or bar counter. Thatch often cooked as he ate his dinner. He was a restless person, and cooking usually took care of it. So, he'd finish making a meal and then, while he ate dinner, would start working on desert. It was a strange quirk that people had stopped teasing him about long ago, since he didn't care.

Izo and Haruta were there, too. Marco was most surprised with Haruta's presence. He hadn't seen him since Pop's birthday. Haruta had been peeved about not being in the know about Marco and Ace, so was trying to get closer to be more involved with what was happening. Ace hadn't spent much time with Haruta, though. Mostly Thatch and Izo, as she had already known them before she and Marco got together.

The three hadn't talked in high school, but they had known of each other. The only one Ace had talked to was Marco and it was still barely anything. Just passing by remarks, like when someone would hand out papers, Ace would thank them.

Though Marco remembered that no one would say "you're welcome" to her. He sighed inwardly, still disappointed in his teenage self for not being more considerate.

"We're both finally going on a talk show on Tuesday," Marco began. "Ace agreed, as her nose is not noticeably broken anymore. She still has the sleep attacks, but they are less frequent and easier to predict now."

"What is she going to wear?" Izo asked immediately, sounding frustrated. Marco put up his hand.

"Ace is going to wear normal people clothes. No fancy or expensive dresses. She told me she wants to not be seen as a celebrity, and show that she is a normal person. So, she'll wear normal people clothes. I'll wear a button up dress shirt and pants, but neither of us are going to dress fancy," he said before Izo got on his case about not giving him ample time to work on perfecting an outfit. The man pouted.

"Hey, hey, how did sleeping at Ace's place work out?" Haruta interjected, wiggling his eyebrows. Marco sighed.

"Even if something intimate did happen, I wouldn't talk about it. We just slept in Ace's bed. It was nice," Marco said, sounding a bit shy near the end. "Hey, I was actually considering getting a pet," he changed the subject. His brothers stared at him with their jaws open.

"What?!"

"Why now?!"

"We've been trying to convince you for _years!" _

Marco put his hands up in surrender gesture. He was a bit awkward, but explained that he was becoming lonely at home when it was just him. "I was thinking about a cat. Dogs are too much work, but a cat should be fine," he said.

"When are you thinking about looking?" Izo asked as he sipped his alcohol.

Marco shrugged. "I'm not sure. My apartment is big enough for a cat, but I am not sure about it."

"Did Sabo like my brownies?" Thatch asked from the kitchen, though it was easy to see and hear him as there was a window in the wall between the kitchen and dining room with an attached bar counter.

"We all liked them. Luffy has a crush," Marco said with an amused grin when Thatch and Izo exclaimed "_What?!" _

"Yeah, it's someone Sabo goes to work with. I think they're polar opposites, but Luffy is very obvious with it. It was hilarious," Marco laughed. "Hard to believe he would ever consider romance."

Izo was chuckling. He wasn't one of the more well known ones with Luffy, but he'd met and heard about the guy. "Well, he does have two siblings in very good relationships from what you tell us about Koala and Sabo."

"Yeah, that's true," Thatch amended. "Does this guy like him back?"

Marco chuckled. "Luffy probably thinks so, since Law shared his food with him. But, it was hard to tell. Law kept a relatively straight face the entire time, looking like he hadn't slept in days and was living off of coffee. It was pretty entertaining. Make sure to read Sabo's book once it's published. It sounds very interesting. But you'll have to wait to know what it's about," Marco added. Sabo had only shared with his close friends and family, and Marco was honored that he was considered one of them. So, he wouldn't spill Sabo's secret.

The four talked a bit longer, mostly about Haruta once they drifted away from the topic of Ace and Marco. Haruta had decided he wanted to move closer to them. It seemed not being in the loop of something so important with his fellow young siblings had upset him greatly. But, to move just because of that?

"You're moving here just because you didn't know about Ace for a few weeks?" Haruta nodded. "No offense, but you didn't even know her. We figured you wouldn't be interested in it that much. Plus, we didn't want it spreading too soon," Izo said. Haruta still pouted.

"Well, at least you all found out before the public did," Thatch added as he served the chocolate fondue and marshmallows. "Pops knew before everyone, also. So, it wasn't just us keeping a secret." Haruta grumbled but ate the chocolate covered marshmallow gratefully.

"I wish I was closer to you guys," Haruta said sadly. "We're all the youngest but you three are the closest." The other three frowned.

"Well, we're glad to have you if you do move here. There are some nicer apartments, but they're fairly expensive here. Especially ones like Marco and Ace's. Hers is only expensive because of where it is and that its a three bedroom. Mine is a one bed," Izo explained.

Thatch said, mouth full of chocolate and marshmallow, "You're free to crash here until you find a place."

"Thanks," Haruta said. Thatch was the only one of the three to have a house despite all of them having relatively well paying careers because it had always been his dream to own his own home, so he saved most of his money for it. Izo spent a significant amount of his money _for _his job, as he picked out most of his own materials.

After Ace had gone to the red carpet event in Izo's beautiful dress, multiple people approached him, asking for him to make them something. He only did a few commissions for more prominent people, and they paid quite a bit. It had kept him busy while Marco wasn't in need of any costume making.

The four siblings hung out for a long time before Marco remembered he needed to go grocery shopping. It was late, so when he went there weren't a lot of people there that recognized him, though he did meet some fans and told them that he'd be on TV with Ace on Tuesday. The reactions had been mixed. A few of the girls had been excited, while some scowled. Marco had trouble not chuckling at it.

-x-

"Is this good to wear?" Ace asked as she stood in front of Marco's couch he was sitting on. She was wearing leggings and a long sleeved shirt that had a wide neck, like much of her clothes did. "I'm supposed to look like a normal person."

"I think it's perfect," Marco commented. "What about this?" he asked, pointing to his outfit. He hadn't changed into it, since the thing was tomorrow and it was just him and Ace at his place, talking and preparing for the show.

"Looks normal to me," Ace said, and went back to the bathroom to change into the clothes she had come in, which were jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie with a dogs face on it. "So, what should I say?"

Marco sat up and repositioned himself for her to sit on his lap. "I want you to be yourself. No script. Answer what you're comfortable with, and don't hesitate to say you don't want to say something. Don't let people think you're a pushover that will answer any questions, even ones that make you uncomfortable.

"Though, Tom is a nice guy, so I don't think he'll push anything if you find it uncomfortable. I wanted to talk about what _we _would share. Like, what we should share of our relationship when it is behind closed doors, which it usually is."

"Hmm, we can talk about what we like doing together, like watching movies and talking and going out in disguises," Ace offered, resting her head in the crook of Marco's neck. He kissed her ear gently.

"But let's not talk about the super personal stuff. Like our deep conversations," Ace added, sighing at the feeling of the soft kisses. "We could talk about when we hang out with our families. We don't have to say names, though."

"Those sound like good ideas," Marco replied, wrapping his arms around Ace's dainty back.

"Hey, Marco… does it bother you that I'm not super… _physical? _Cause we don't kiss that much, and other stuff. Koala and Sabo kiss a lot," Ace said, sounding uncertain. Marco brushed her hair behind her ear.

"It doesn't bother me. We don't need to be _intimate _to _feel _intimate," Marco replied. "With you, I don't need to be physical to be sure I love you. I don't need to be constantly touched to feel loved and wanted." He felt Ace's lips quirk up into a smile against his skin.

"Was it different with your other girlfriends?" she asked curiously, noticing that he had said "with you". He nodded.

"Everything was different with them. Nothing is the same with you. I've said it a lot, but it's true. With them, we kissed a lot, but it was just kissing. It didn't really feel that special, just something we did. Other _stuff _wasn't that important to me. They got irritated that I was often not the one instigating. It wasn't that I didn't love them, just physicality wasn't a biggy for me."

"Oh. I'm glad I don't disappoint you. I'm not good at kissing anyway," Ace said, not sounding ashamed, though, and Marco was glad she didn't feel so insecure about this part of the relationship.

"You just don't have practice, but honestly kissing isn't that big a deal. I'd rather just do this," Marco said softly, tightening his arms around her. "Kissing is just trading saliva," he added in a teasing voice.

"Thanks. For being considerate with knowing this is my first relationship," Ace said, sounding sleepy.

Marco asked if she wanted a nap, the sleep thick in her voice. She nodded against his neck, and he picked her up easily and brought her to the guest bedroom and laid down with her on his side so he was the big spoon, over the covers. She easily drifted asleep, and Marco listened to her quiet breathing, hoping to hear her talking in her sleep since it was always entertaining.

By the time Ace was awake, it was evening. In hindsight, Marco maybe shouldn't have let her sleep so long. Marco was making dinner when she came out, hair a bit messy and looking disheveled from her sleep. Marco was making one of Thatch's recipes for beef stew, which he knew Ace and Luffy really liked. The man might not be a chef, but he wasn't a bad cook. Like Ace and Sabo weren't near professionals (Ace's cake video shows it quite well), but they were still solid cooks.

"Good evening," Marco said with a light smile.

"You didn't have to make dinner, I could have gone," Ace said, though it was clear she wanted to eat the stew. Marco waved it off, saying that she'd cooked for him, so why couldn't he cook for her?

"I may not be Thatch level, but I can follow a recipe just fine," he said. Ace smiled as took a seat on one of the stools at the bar counter.

"It's like we're an old married couple making supper," Ace commented after taking a sip of water from a glass that Marco had given her.

"And is that a bad thing?" Marco teased.

Ace immediately said, "No."

-x-

Marco stood outside Ace's front door while Sabo went to get her so Marco could drive them to the set of the show they were going to be on. The front door opened a crack and a nervous but put together Ace came out. She rarely wore makeup except when she wanted to cover her freckles, so it was different to see her with anything on. Modest and not super noticeable, but noticeable for Marco. But he didn't say anything about it.

They were both in their "normal people" clothes, and walked down to Marco's nice car, hand in hand. It was early enough that no one was off on a stroll and would see the couple, with Marco who only had sunglasses on. Ace had told him that her neighbors already knew he visited, but minded their own business, as they would be as affected by paparazzi as Ace and her siblings would be.

Ace drummed her fingers on the arm rest of the car while they went on the drive. She was very nervous, and it was very clear. Marco rested his right hand on hers to still them. "It'll be fine," he assured her. He made sure to tell her that Tom was very honorable, and if anyone in the audience did or said something disrespectful, they'd be gone instantly.

"I shouldn't have worn the make up. What if they think I'm fake?" Marco was surprised. Usually, Ace didn't care what other people thought. "I care what my fans think about me, not the general public. They know I don't wear makeup," she said frantically.

"Hey, hey, shhh. I think they'd understand that you would want to look nice for your first real public appearance. Your fans adore you, they won't care if you put on some modest, skin colored makeup," Marco reasoned calmly. Ace didn't reply, seeing the truth in his words, but was still nervous.

When they pulled up to the back of the studio, the press and paparazzi were there, waiting. Marco pulled up to the side of the building, and Ace was looking extremely nervous. It made Marco sad. He knew Ace was strong, strong enough to deal with the publicity of their relationship, but she was mostly nervous about her own fans. It made Marco's heart warm.

"I'm scared, if I'm scared I'll pass out," she said worriedly. Marco turned the car back on and drove across the street, where no one was there. He unbuckled and turned to the side, holding both of her hands.

"Look at me, Ace," he said. "No matter what happens, as long as you are yourself and be honest with yourself, your fans won't leave you. They love you, okay? And the general public could hate you or love you and it wouldn't matter to anyone that _matters. _Your family, my family, _me, _would still love you just as much as we did before you came on TV. You can do this; we can do this." Ace took a deep breath and nodded.

Marco left the car there and they walked across the street, holding hands, Ace's grip very tight. If Marco were a weaker man, it would be painfully tight. She was wearing tennis shoes, so she wasn't going to trip over any high heels, which was best for now. Marco had seen her walk in heels once and it was abysmal.

She looked down when the paparazzi descended, and Marco did the talking, saying they'd answer some questions on the show, and then were brought inside while the press was stuck outside. Ace let out a sigh and took a few slow deep breaths.

"Marco, nice to see you again! And you must be Ace. My name is Belladonna, the makeup person." Ace shook her hand, looking nervous.

"Is my make up bad? I don't usually wear makeup," Ace said in doubt. Marco frowned, worried about how this would go if Ace was already this nervous. But, he had faith in her to pull through, and didn't let any of his doubt show.

"No, we just do touch ups. Many people who come on the show, men and women, have already done their make up. We just patch things up if needed," Belladonna said nicely, leading them through the back of the set and to a dressing room.

"Even Marco is gonna wear make up?" Ace asked when Marco was sat down in front of a mirror in the room, while Ace sat in the chair next to him.

Marco smiled. "Welcome to showbiz," he said simply as he had his face "touched up". Seeing him do this, Ace seemed much more comfortable with the slight changes the make up specialist made. She knew, from Ace, that she didn't like to wear make up, so the woman didn't put it too heavy on her. Just added some light lipstick and a touch of blush.

Ace's bag was set on a chair by their entrance, and she turned her phone on vibrate and put it in the bag. When Marco looked at her in question, she wiped her sweaty hands on her shirt and said, "I don't want to be distracted." Marco didn't tell her that even the talk show host had his phone out sometimes.

Ace peeked through the curtain to see the audience, and was clearly glad it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. It was a popular show, but the auditorium wasn't super big. She eyed the couch they'd be sitting on, thankful it was big enough to fit both her and Marco instead of multiple seats. It would be improper for her to sit on his lap, but they got to lean into each other.

Marco hugged Ace from behind. "Ready?" he asked quietly. She took a deep breath and nodded.

"...And here they are!" Tom called, and Marco walked forward a step, setting Ace into motion too as they both walked out on stage. Ace wearing a sheepish, if shaky, smile, glancing at the audience but not meeting any of their eyes. Marco knew how she felt, and that was why this was the first place she'd go to. Tom had made interviews incredibly easy after being with him.

Ace and Marco sat down on the couch. Marco waved with a smile to the audience, a side Ace only saw on TV. The audience clapped for awhile, making Ace restless and still not meeting anyone's eyes. She was relieved when Tom spoke, taking her attention from the audience to the host.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you, Ace," Tom said, reaching his hand out to shake Ace's. She not so discreetly wiped her sweaty hand on her leggings before shaking the host's hand. "I can't say Marco has told me a lot about you. I was hoping we could clear that up today." Ace gave a shaky smile, but it gained confidence when Tom smiled at her kindly.

"Okay, but first I'd like to apologize in advance if I fall asleep," she said. Tom looked surprised. "I was recently diagnosed with narcolepsy, and haven't found the right medication yet," she explained.

"Oh? That's unfortunate," Tom commented, both Ace and Marco nodding their heads in agreement. "Do you pass out a lot?"

"Yeah. That's why I didn't come on anywhere so long. I fell and broke my nose. It was bruised very badly and I didn't want my first appearance to have bruises on my face and a crooked nose," she replied. Marco smiled lightly as her voice gained more confidence. Marco had been right about Tom being the first talk show to have her on.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Can I ask what problems it's been causing you?" Tom asked nicely. The audience seemed interested, but Ace still wasn't looking at them. Just Tom or the wall behind him.

"I pass out a lot and am sleepy often. So, me and Marco take a lot of naps together. It's caused hallucinations but those have been few and far in between for the last couple weeks," Ace explained. "I have a lot of trouble falling or staying asleep at night. During the day, naps are easy. I'm not allowed to drive until I find the right medication. It's frustrating," she added.

Marco was nodding along, knowing it was extremely frustrating for his love. Especially being unable to go places alone. "A video of it was already posted online," Marco said.

"Yes, I saw the little tiff between you and you ex, Pudding Charlotte," Tom said knowingly. He probably already new Ace had narcolepsy, as he did his research before having someone on, but was asking for everyone else to know. Those that didn't watch Ace's videos where she already explained the issue.

"Yeah, it angered me," Marco admitted honestly.

"So, I'm sure everyone is dying to know more about you, Ace," Tom said, switching his attention back to his new guest. "What kind of career do you have? Interests, family, hobbies?"

Ace looked overwhelmed for a second before Marco squeezed her hand slightly. That seemed to do the trick, as she explained as much as she was comfortable with, which was quite a lot. Nothing about the private life regarding the rest of her family, but she talked about her brothers, not by name. She explained about her anti-bullying organization she is part of, and her YouTube influence, as well as a children's book she had written.

She explained her interests, and what she liked to do in her free time. "I like exercising, and watching movies. Me and Marco watch a lot of movies together. Our first date was actually just watching all of the MCU movies at his place. It took a couple days to get through all of them."

Tom then asked, "Is that why you went to the red carpet event in an Iron Man mask," in an amused voice. She nodded, cheeks a bit pink.

"I thought it would be funny, and Marco liked it," Ace said somewhat sheepishly. "I know people thought I was weird, but I had fun with it." Marco laughed, remembering Ace acting like it was completely normal to wear a mask to an event like that.

"I thought it was funny," he said. "Ace has a good sense of humor."

"Don't tell them that, I'm not good at jokes," she said, though it was playful. Marco gave her a very warm smile, a fond one, one of the ones only reserved for Ace. Tom was looking at him in a knowing way, knowing him long enough to recognize that this wasn't one of his normal smiles for the camera.

"So, how did you and Marco meet?" Tom asked curiously. The audience was dying to know as well. So, Ace explained about the high school reunion. How she'd only gone to thank him for being nice to her. She was surprisingly honest with people other than her fans about her high school life. Though she kept her family history out of the story. Marco took a glance at the audience and saw mixed expressions. And he hadn't noticed before that, clearly, some of her fans were here as they wore t-shirts of the organization that Ace worked with.

Some looked sad for her, but a few were looking disapproving. Ace and Marco were expecting that reaction, though, so Marco wasn't surprised. Ace still hadn't looked at the audience, so she might not know that some of them were her loyal fans.

"When I got back home, I moved with my brothers and went to college," Ace explained. "During and after college is when I started the YouTube, along with my other job I had at the time. I worked at a restaurant as a waiter for most of college," Ace finished.

"Sounds like you've been through a lot," Tom said, though without pity, which Ace must have been happy about. Sympathy was welcome, but pity was not. Ace had complained about it a few times, but chose to look at it that people felt sorry for her, even if pity felt different.

Ace nodded. "But it made me who I am today, and I'm happy with that. Besides the narcolepsy, of course," she added. "Plus, if all of that hadn't happened, I might not have met up with Marco again."

Marco smiled and took his hand from hers, instead putting his arm around her shoulder affectionately. Most of the talking had been from Ace so far, so Marco was dressed next. "What made you want to meet up with Ace again?" Tom asked.

It wasn't a very personal question, as his whole family knew about it. "I wasn't going to approach her again and make things awkward or uncomfortable, but my brothers wanted me to see her again, and my brother met her at the gym, and invited her over to bake a cake. I went too, and things just happened."

"Like a romance novel but without the drama," Ace commented. Marco nodded in agreement. Tom turned to Marco again, and asked, "Have either of you had a relationship like this before? This serious?"

"My other relationships were very different. With my last ex, there was the drama that everyone knows about, and my first partner had cheated on me while we were still dating. My family likes Ace a lot, and her family likes me, so it's a win win." Tom turned to Ace, and asked the same question.

Ace looked a little embarrassed, and Marco was about to give her a look saying it was her choice whether to answer or not, but she answered. "I've never been in a relationship before Marco."

Tom looked a little surprised, but the surprise left quickly, after knowing Ace's basic life story, romance wouldn't have been high on demand after fixing her life up and becoming successful. The audience had a similar reaction that Marco saw.

When the show ended, Ace was extremely thankful as she was feeling a sleep attack coming on. The moment she got in the dressing room, she slurred for Marco to catch her and passed out. Marco easily caught her and held her while sitting on the couch in the dressing room.

It wasn't a long nap, but Marco was patient with it. She woke after about fifteen minutes, and sighed, saying she was so happy it didn't happen during the show. Marco kissed her forehead and told her how well she did for her first time. She beamed.

"It wasn't so bad without looking at the audience," the woman said, still in Marco's arms. Her bag had been moved into the room, and she checked her phone to see no messages. Ace grabbed her bag and took Marco's hand as they walked backstage and to the door to let out to the back where the car was parked.

Marco wasn't surprised to see people outside waiting for them. Most of them were those that Marco had noticed had the special t-shirts on. "Ace, can I have your autograph?" a little girl asked, holding a notebook and a mechanical pencil. She looked so happy, so Ace smiled and crouched down to her level to sign her name on the notepad.

Another couple girls, teenagers, asked for Ace to sign their shirts and had Sharpies ready. None of them asked for Marco's autograph, and it was a bit strange to be with someone _else _who was getting the public's attention. Well, with Pudding it was like that but many times she had refused to sign anything.

The littlest one ran to her mom, who was waiting a couple yards back. "Mommy, look!" she exclaimed and showed off her autograph. Ace smiled at it and told the girls she appreciated them coming.

She and Marco walked back to the car, Ace in a much better mood leaving than she was entering.


	10. Happily Ever After

**Akatsuki-Metal: Thank you! I couldn't make it any longer, it was dying on me near the end and I didn't want to abandon it. Though there are only 10 chapters, it is over 70,000 words. Hope you enjoy the last chapter. **

**To be honest, I'm very disappointed with how this story was incredibly unpopular. 3 reviews on a 70,000 word story. :( Anyways, last chapter. Hope Henry is entertaining. He is based on my stupid one. Enjoy~**

Later that night, after Marco had brought Ace home, tired and drained from the stress from before, he watched the airing of the show online, and couldn't be prouder of Ace and how well she did despite the very obvious discomfort and nervousness she was feeling throughout.

But, it made her seem approachable, like a normal person who gets nervous in front of a crowd of people they don't know. Someone whose hands got sweaty in nerves, someone who continuously licked her lips in discomfort. And it also showed how resilient she was, to voluntarily be somewhere she was clearly not wanting to be at first.

Ace had come across completely as a normal person. She had been worried she'd seem fake, but you couldn't even see the make up, just her freckles, and she came across as so real and not scripted. The pauses she made, clearly thinking about her response and that it hadn't been made beforehand like some interviews were.

And Marco noticed himself. He looked so happy. He hadn't seen himself like this as he and Ace didn't take many pictures, and he felt that anyone could see the affection and love in his eyes when he looked at Ace. The comments below on the video were positive. Well, mostly. There would always be trolls, or the ridiculous pro-Pudding people, who were far and few inbetween.

There were a lot of comments about Ace being adorable, both her personality and her freckles on her face and shoulders. People in the comments also noted Marco's demeanor and expressions when he was watching or talking with Ace. It made Marco happy that his love showed clearly, because that's what he wanted. He didn't want drama, he didn't want claims of him just trying something new, him just fooling around or playing the poor normal girl. He was glad he seemed to have come across that he loved her, like he had said online.

But seeing it "in person" made it more believable. It wasn't just words typed out and posted on Twitter.

He also noticed that Ace's "weakness", the narcolepsy, also made her seem believable. Definitely not perfect with the perfect life and tons of money. Yes, she was successful, but she also worked hard for her success. And hearing about her working two jobs during college at one point made her seem like the kind of person anyone could talk to. Not be nervous talking to someone very rich and well known, like Pudding or Marco.

To sum it up, many people were calling Ace a "darling", and were happy for Marco. Later that night, he had gotten some messages from his family about the interview, many talking about how adorable Ace had been. Marco didn't know how she'd feel about so many people calling her "adorable", but it was still a positive remark.

Marco wasn't surprised to see Pudding's loyal fans show up in the comments, but had no likes so they weren't near the top. People still seemed sore over the break up, which was just _dumb _as it had happened years ago and had been very explosive, and Marco really couldn't see _any_ relationship surving after what had happened, and especially when the one who caused it had been wholeheartedly unapologetic.

Ace texted him after dinner and before bed. _I think I've been accepted by the majority. _

_I agree. Everyone loved you. Well, the sane ones, not the ones who support Pudding's quest to gain power back over me. Well, it doesn't matter. I'm yours whether you asked or not. _

Ace commented back with a heart emoji, and wished him goodnight. She was feeling very tired and had managed to stay awake enough so it wouldn't destroy her chances of sleeping through the night.

-x-

Two weeks after Ace's first real public appearance as herself, both she and Marco stood in the humane society, looking for a special cat for Marco to adopt. He had decided that he didn't want to live alone anymore, and would like a companion. His siblings with pets said cats were easier than dos. And he didn't want a hamster, no matter how much Luffy had recommended one.

Thatch had wanted to come, but Izo convinced him not to, and to let him do it with Ace instead. After all, Ace might, in the future, end up moving in with Marco. They hadn't talked about it, but it could happen. Which was why Marco had requested a cat that could deal with dogs. Ace hadn't heard that part, as Marco had asked after she moved to the first cat room.

If Ace did move in with Marco, of course she would want to bring Chopper. He was basically her unofficial therapy dog. And he also brought Ace along so she would get along with whatever cat he adopted, if it was from this place or another.

So, here he was, sitting on the floor against a wall as cats either sniffed or ignored him. Ace was playing with a fluffy black one with a smooshed face, making it chase a toy before pulling it up in the air. The cat wasn't the smartest, as every time the string toy was brought above his head, he only looked left and right. It had Ace snickering.

A calico wandered up to Marco only to smack his leg and walk away. It was random to say the least. However, it did eventually come back, and Marco held out his hand for her to sniff him. The calico chewed on his finger for a minute. Cats are weird.

The cats that Ace and Marco were with were in the room that "got along well with other animals". And there weren't many of them. There were five, including the one with the smooshed face and the calico that hadn't returned after chewing on Marco's finger.

"You aren't trying to get to know them very much," Ace said as she brought the stupid one over. "This one is sweet. Kinda dumb, but sweet." She handed him the sweet, dumb, one and he held it in both hands. For some reason, it looked absolutely shocked to be out of Ace's arms, his ears flattening and looking slightly panicked for a moment before sneezing in Marco's face.

Ace burst into laughter. Marco frowned and wiped the small amount of spittle off his nose. "I think this one likes you, not me," Marco said. Stupid-smooshed face jumped out of his lap and ran away, adopting a strange gait.

"You should get that one."

"I am not getting that one," Marco said with finality.

An hour later and he had smooshed-face in a box carrier to take home. He and Ace had set up the apartment already, but it would be easier since Marco didn't have any other animals. They had been told the cat's name was Henry. It looked like a Henry, so he kept the name. He was two years old and a sweetheart, but also dumb. The carers told them that Henry had turned up on his own one day. Just stood in front of the humane society's front door, wanting to be taken in.

The story made Ace really like Henry, and plus, he was an _entertaining _idiot. Since it was early still, and a week day, not many press or paparazzi were out, and Ace and Marco easily avoided them. Henry was crying out loudly the whole time, Ace carrying him while Marco had the cat's favorite toy and some treats from the humane society.

Ace handed Marco Henry's case when they got inside, closing the door behind them and locking it. "He's your cat, you have to spend time with him," Ace said when Marco looked at her questioningly.

"Everyone is gonna tease me about getting the dumb one," Marco said when he opened the top of the box. Henry looked panicked, his eyes wide and ears back, but he looked that way half the time at the shelter. He eventually jumped out of the box and looked around, sniffing everything like a normal cat would.

He found the litter box in the guest bathroom easily, and the food bowl was found second. Neither of them were surprised when the floof crawled under the couch. Ace beamed when she sat on the couch and the cat pawed at her feet from under the crack between the couch and floor.

"Chopper is gonna be mad at me for smelling like cat," Ace said. Marco was dragging the string toy across the floor in front of the couch, Henry swatting at it but never coming out from under the furniture. "Are you happy to have a new fur baby?" Ace asked as Marco played with the cat lazily.

"Yeah. I hope he doesn't keep me up all night," Marco replied.

"You mean like I do?" Marco grinned at her.

"I like when you call me and talk. Even if I'm having a really nice dream, it's always nice waking up to you. Though, it does worry me the second before I answer. I can't help it," Marco confessed. "But it's always fleeting when you sound so tired and want a story or something." Marco slowly lifted the string toy above the bottom of the couch and Henry popped his head out and looked up, wearing that panicked face again. Ace laughed. Marco had to admit that Henry was pretty entertaining _just _by looking like that.

By the end of the day, Henry was well acquainted with the apartment, and had already claimed the guest bed, sleeping on the pillow for much of the day. Ace kept wanting to go in and pet him, but resisted to let him get used to his new home.

Ace had to get home to help Sabo with dinner, since both he and Luffy weren't feeling the best. Ace as going to make soup for all three of them. Marco drove her home in his normal-people car, and kissed her goodbye in the parking garage, like always making sure she got inside the building.

When he got back home, Henry was on the kitchen counter. Marco walked over and picked him up and put him back on the wood floor. "No going on the countertops," Marco said, though he knew it wasn't as if Henry knew what he was saying. He was happy to see that his new companion didn't only like Ace, and followed Marco room to room. Even scratching at the bathroom door when Marco was showering.

When he went to bed, Henry decided to sleep on Marco's face. But after twice of Marco putting Henry on the bed next to him, he stopped climbing onto Marco's face and instead stretched out on the end of the bed, taking up a surprising amount of space. Ace didn't call that night, and Marco slept soundly, even with Henry snoring not far from him.

-x-

Ace was excited to hear how Henry's first day and night went, and Marco happily told her over the phone, and expanded on what an idiot this cat was, but said it fondly. Henry had gotten trapped behind the bathroom door. Except he could have backtracked a couple inches and went _around _the door. And the floof was genuinely distressed over not being able to get out of the corner of the bathroom door.

Marco chuckled about it as he watched the cat munch on his dry cat food. "_I'll come over and spend some time with him. Chopper was confused when I smelled different, but not upset after I took a shower. Luffy and Sabo are both feeling better this morning and Sabo will drive me over. I'm so happy I'll get to drive again, soon." _

Ace had gotten onto a different medication that had been doing the trick as long as she could take periodic naps during the day, she didn't have any sleep attacks. As long as she was taking care of herself and being mindful, she was safe to drive in a week, but was still a bit uncomfortable being in public alone.

"Alright, I'll see you soon," Marco replied. When the beep of the call ending sounded, Henry jerked and looked around with his panicked face, making Marco chuckle. It was nice having somebody else with him, not so quiet and he even laughed without Ace or someone else there, too.

Maybe getting a pet was actually a really good idea.

Well, the internet sure thought so after Ace came over and took a picture of Henry looking crazed and tagged Marco in it. Everyone blew up on it, some calling Ace and Marco a married couple that just adopted their first kid. For everyone to see, Ace took some selfies with her, Marco and Henry together, making sure Henry looked as panicked as possible by making a clicking noise with her tongue that set him off.

Ace had great fun with this, and Marco did, too. Soon, Henry was one of the family as Marco's siblings and father liked the cat, asking why on earth Marco picked a stupid one. Of course, they knew why. Ace's influence made him choose the silliest one. But, so far Marco was glad with his choice of Henry.

Having a pet in the house seemed to almost breathe life into the place. Suddenly, the lonely apartment felt more like a home. The wonders a pet could do. He had to suggest one to Thatch and Izo.

The two spent much of the day on the couch, as Ace had already done her video that week, which was about cyberbullying. She was getting some nasty messages, and since she'd not been cyberbullied before, now she had experience with it that she could share and hope to help others being bullied online. It was the positive Ace could see in being messaged nasty things. Though, there weren't many and dwindled to an even lower number after blocking a few individuals who had messaged her more than once.

Thatch apparently went to Ace's place to deliver good food he'd made for the brothers for their colds, which they both appreciated greatly. It was creamy chicken noodle soup. And though Ace made perfectly good soup, Thatch's apparently was out of this world. Ace told them both to save her some to taste.

Ace was at Marco's place for the time of her second nap, which was at six, usually before dinner. So, she slept on the guest bed while Marco read next to her, not especially tired but still wanting to be near her. Henry was on the bed too, giving himself a bath. Marco was glad he wouldn't have to bathe the cat.

He had to wake up Ace before her nap was over since Sabo was there to pick her up. "Ace, Ace, wake up, Sabo is here," he said gently, barely shaking her. Ace mumbled something before waking and sitting up. "Sabo is here," Marco repeated in case Ace hadn't heard him the first time. She nodded and smoothed down her hair a bit, not that Sabo or Marco cared about bed head, and got her things together, petting Henry goodbye before going out and down to Sabo's waiting car.

Marco wished Ace didn't have to go back home every night. He wished she could stay with him through the night, but he sometimes felt things were going too fast, while also agonizingly slowly. They'd been together for three months now, and he knew that was too early to have her move in, he knew that. But he couldn't help but want her to. Though, her brothers would be in a bind without her help with the expenses and rent, along with food.

Even if Marco asked her and she wanted to move in, she probably wouldn't anytime soon. Her brothers were too important to her to move away after only three months. They moved out of the house when they were still all teenagers just to support Ace with the attack from their other family. Marco would say those three have a closer bond forged together than any of Marco's siblings.

They had all grown up in a loving home with a lot of family. But Ace, Sabo and Luffy were all each other had, and Marco had to recognize and respect that. And he did respect it, because he hated to think of where Ace would be if she had not had their unwavering support and love.

But Marco could wait for her, whenever she was ready or wanted to make another step, because Marco wanted her to be his forever, and vice versa. He couldn't help but look forward to their future together. He loved her deeply, and would do anything to make her happy and comfortable. Anything she asked, or didn't ask for.

There was no way he was going to let her slip through his fingers, and in just three months she had broken down his walls he put up with new people after his first lover cheated on him and his second made his life hell for over a month after the break up.

Ace, as far as he knew, and was sure of, had never lied to him. She had always been open and honest, and when she wasn't, there was no problem. Like when she hadn't told him she was getting messages from other shows to have her seen, it wasn't a big deal and didn't harm their relationship. After all, he trusted her like he trusted his own family.

He had trusted her with his secrets, his insecurities, his more troubling back story he'd never shared with anyone, and he trusted her with his heart, even when it was still a little cracked from previous relationships.

Marco thought of all this as ate dinner, as he went to bed, as he put Henry on the bed instead of his face, and even dreamt about her.

-x-

Since there were so many members of the Newgate family, they all celebrated their birthdays the same day. Some lived far apart from one another, and having one big celebration was the norm to make it easier for those that didn't live close to Whitebeard's estate. It was March 12th, since that was the date of the first son Whitebeard had adopted and had always been a very special date for him.

The did a secret santa for them, since buying sixteen presents each was a bit much. Marco had gotten stuck with a gift for his father, and he was bummed. It was very hard to come up with gifts for him. If Marco was good at drawing, then maybe he could give him something personal. Those who were settled with Pops always had trouble with gifts, as they felt nothing could be good enough for the man, though he never was disappointed with any gifts he got.

"I don't know what to get him," Marco said. Ace frowned.

"Didn't he already have a birthday party? Why does he have a second?" she wondered, sitting next to him on the couch with a mug of tea in her hands. It was pouring outside, so they were in a nice and warm apartment, the fake fireplace roaring. Henry was spread out in front of it, showing his belly.

"Pops said part of him was reborn the first time he adopted. It was Jozu, thirty years ago. He'd been ten. Pops never asks for gifts, but we get him one anyways, mostly since he rarely gets gifts on his birthday. I just don't know what to get him," Marco explained, frustrated that he couldn't come up with something heartfelt.

Ace "hmm"ed and took a sip of the chamomile tea. "You want something heartfelt, right?" Ace asked, clearly having an idea. Marco nodded, curious about what the idea was. Ace grinned. "I have a good one."

-x-

A week later, Ace and Marco carpooled with Haruta, Izo and Thatch, the car full to the brim. Haruta had done as he said he would and moved to the city. Marco's gift was in a little box in Ace's bag, and his brothers were curious about what it was based on the small size. Marco had told them that it was Ace's idea, so it was from her as well. That just made the other three die of curiosity even stronger.

Ace had fallen asleep in the car, so the three in the back made quiet small talk. Haruta has been settled with Jozu, Izo was Fossa, and Thatch with Kindgdew. Marco had to think that his and Ace's present was better than theirs, which were random things that didn't really have any heart in them. He glanced to Ace with a smile, loving her present idea. He never would have thought of it himself.

Ace snored lightly, her head resting against a pillow that Marco had started keeping in his car for her, since she fell asleep during rides so frequently. Even though her meds had improved her narcolepsy symptoms greatly, she still got sleepy during the day. She just didn't pass out unexpectedly, as long as she had her periodic naps. So, she was safe to drive now, which she was glad of having some of her independence back.

When they reached the estate, many cars were there, dozens as, since it was everyone's birthday party, they brought guests. It was a _real _party, with at least four guests from each person, mostly including their family and friends outside of the Newgates.

Presents were stacked up in the corner, many brought by the guests for the one they were celebrating. Ace whistled at the pile, and Marco pocketed his gift so it wouldn't get lost in all of the large presents. Marco had insisted that Ace didn't get him a gift, as just her being there was enough. Luffy and Sabo got him something, though, he didn't know what, and was most interested to see what Luffy got.

Ace put those two presents in the pile, and then returned to Marco, taking his hand as they both went and socialized, Ace sticking with Marco more this time, since she didn't really know anybody there.

Marco was a bit nervous about how she would feel about all of the alcohol, but she didn't drink a sip, even when there was nice wine brought out just for her. She did wish she could, but her medications reacted badly with any booze, so she abstained, sticking to water or tea.

Some of Marco's sibling's partners approached Ace, wanting to welcome her to the family. Ace had blushed, and said that she wasn't married to Marco. "Everyone sees you as family anyways, so we wanted to introduce ourselves," Hina, Fossa's fiance of four years, said, and pulled Ace away from Marco to socialize. She looked uneasy for just a second before relenting and following the three women wherever they wanted to go talk.

Marco had one beer, but not enough to affect his behavior. The party was noisy and busy, but fun. Marco enjoyed these parties because he saw so many of his siblings happy, and that was nice to see.

This time, however, he couldn't wait to give Pops his present, though he was a bit bummed it hadn't been his idea. So, when it was time to open the presents, Marco waited impatiently, tapping his toe. Ace was sitting on the couch next to where he was leaning against the side. There were many presents of great variety.

Sabo had gotten Marco a photo album of Ace during her life, much to Ace's embarrassment. Marco loved it, though, and would thank Sabo for letting him see Ace as a child. She was adorable when she was younger. Many of the photos were her and her brothers doing things as kids, a five year old Ace holding a two year old Luffy and looking panicked about holding a baby.

Luffy got him another stuffed animal, though it was one that looked like Henry, which Marco liked more than the hamster gift he'd been given. When Pops came last, people looked expectantly but saw no more gifts. Then, Marco pulled the little box out, which was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, and handed it to his large father.

Ace was smiling softly, glad to have been a help for Marco. Whitebeard was surprised at how small it was, to say the least. He opened it and tipped it over so the piece of jewelry fell into his hand. It had a very long chain, and the pendant was a silver piece of metal in a circle, flat and with Marco's thumbprint on one side, and a note, saying, _Love you forever, _on the back in Marco's handwriting. To say everyone was surprised to see tears in his eyes was an understatement.

"Thank you, son. I love it," Pops said. Marco frowned but then smiled.

"Well, it wasn't my idea," Marco said, and pointed to Ace. "You can thank Ace for the gift." Ace blushed under all of the attention, and Whitebeard gave her the warmest smile that Marco was enthralled to see directed towards the woman he loved.

"Thank you, Ace. It's a wonderful gift," the big man said, putting the long chain around his neck. Ace just smiled and nodded. Marco could tell she'd gained more points from his family. When Ace got distracted by Mocha coming over, and started talking with the little girl, Marco walked to Pops.

"When are you going to marry that woman?" he asked in a serious voice. Marco's face colored and he sputtered a reply.

"I-It's way too soon for that, Pops," he said. Whitebeard just chuckled.

"Well, when it _is _the time for that, you both have my blessing. She's a real keeper, Marco. Don't let her slip through your fingers."

"_Never." _

-x-

Sabo was away for meeting with an editor about publishing his book and Luffy was at Law's house for a party, so Ace was alone at home, and feeling miserable. She had declined seeing Marco that day because she had painful cramps and an upset stomach from her time of the month, and didn't want to bother Marco when all she'd be doing is writhing in pain on the bed and crying while eating chocolate ice cream.

But, Marco didn't care about that. Ace was hurting and alone at home, and he couldn't let that go unaddressed. So here he was, in disguise, asking a nearby woman about what type of pads would be best for his girlfriend, and bringing flowers and some calming tea when he went to visit her. He also bought a box of tissues in case Ace was still crying.

The last couple of times she'd had her period, she'd hidden it from him out of embarrassment, but they'd been together four four months now and Ace had been honest with him about it. So, he was going to see her.

The woman who had helped him looked at him fondly, a little too long so he was worried he'd be recognized, but she just said, "What a nice young man. You don't see many like that anymore," and walked away.

When Marco knocked on Ace's front door, she opened it, holding a hot water pouch to her stomach and looking miserable, eyes red and swollen. "Marco, what are you doing here?" she asked, sounding a bit upset he was there, though he didn't take it personally. She was just embarrassed.

He held up the bag and flowers. "I'm here to try and make the woman I love feel less crappy," he said with a smile. Ace somewhat reluctantly let him in as he put the bag down on the counter and got to work making the tea in the kettle on the stove.

He pulled the pulled out the pads and tissue box. "I didn't know if you needed them, but I didn't want you to have to go out if you run out," he explained. Ace smiled wobbly before starting to cry. Marco didn't know what it was about until Ace said that she felt bad she couldn't take Chopper out on a walk today.

Marco set things back down and hugged Ace, "C'mon, let's go watch some movies," he said kindly and walked with her to the couch, turning the TV on, dimming the lights, and laying the throw blanket on top of Ace. "What do you want to watch?" he asked. Ace sniffled out, "Something happy".

Marco put on Mocha's favorite movie, _How to Train Your Dragon, _off of Netflix and watched the movie with Ace, bringing over the tea once it was done and getting up to warm Ace's water bag, bringing her pain pills when needed. He stayed all day until Ace's brother's came back, but stayed through dinner, which was Chinese take out that Sabo had picked up.

He only left once he knew she was deeply asleep. Sabo thanked him for his consideration, and assured him that he and Luffy would take care of her if she woke up during the night. Luffy was blushing madly since he got home, and Marco could only think things went well at Law's party. But, he didn't ask.

-x-

Marco showing up to take care of Ace while she was on her period seemed to change things a bit. She was sleeping over at his place more and more often, though they didn't do anything but sleep. She was more affectionate more than she was before, always holding his hand around the apartment, or always curling up against him on the couch or bed.

He couldn't be happier, having wanted to be more physically affectionate too, for awhile, but wanting to make sure he didn't make her uncomfortable. She had brought Chopper over to meet Henry once. Chopper asserted dominance, even when visiting, but Henry was a push over and didn't fight back when Chopper pat down his forehead when he got too close. Three hours later, Henry and Chopper were curled up together in front of the fake fireplace.

Since Ace had been staying over so much, she had made a few videos at Marco's place, one of them including him in a Q&A, which nowadays, had a lot to do with Ace and Marco's relationship. Even though they had gone public months ago, they ended up keeping most things private, not sharing too many photos on social media, and not telling others stories about them, so Ace's videos focused on the most common questions that were _appropriate_ to talk about were popular. Her following had steadily been growing, not surging in spikes like it had when her identity was first made public, but she still had new subscribers coming in.

Marco had also started going to some of her events, and ran in one of the marathons. He and Ace had kept up together in the race before Ace was starting to feel sleepy, so Marco did the rest of the race with Ace on his back. That part was highly publicized. But his presence brought more to the event, and surprisingly, not just the press or Marco's die hard fans who could disrupt the whole thing.

After some time had gone by, with Pudding finally gone, hopefully for good, Ace had finally been mostly accepted by Marco's fans as "worthy". He showed his feelings clearly when they were caught in public, and it was clear she made Marco very happy.

Things were really looking good, and after another month of Ace visiting, bringing Chopper to play with his new buddy, Marco finally asked her. They were at their favorite coffee shop, both dolled up in disguises.

Marco was exceedingly nervous about asking her, but he had to. "Ace, I have a big question."

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to move in with me," he said, getting straight to the point, not wanting to procrastinate anymore. "I know you really love being with your brothers, but I just had to ask. I love you and love having you over. I love sleeping at night together, and Henry really looks forward to seeing Chopper and you. I completely understand if you say no, I won't be angry," he assured her. Ace slowly took a drag of her drink, and then smiled slyly at him.

"I've been waiting for you to ask for weeks. Me and Sabo have been setting up money to pay for groceries for them, since they both need the financial help," Ace replied casually.

Marco was shocked for a moment. "You've… been waiting?" he asked, sounding flabbergasted. Ace chuckled.

"Why do you think I've been bringing Chopper over to get used to Henry?" In hindsight, Marco thought he was an idiot for not seeing it. But, a wide grin was brought to his face. Though he had to make sure Ace had really thought it through before celebrating the fact that Ace would be with him, living together. "Are you sure? Sabo and Luffy aren't upset?"

"They will miss me, but I'll visit a lot. They're both so happy with how happy you've made me. They've noticed the changes you brought, and they are thankful for you. Besides, we're all big boys and girls. It's not like we were planning on living together for forever. Sabo's book is coming out in a couple weeks and his editor thinks it'll be a hit, and Luffy has been leaving the nest more and more to see Law. Koala's job promoted her so she can work from home, and I've asked her if she wanted to take my place and move in with Sabo and Lu.

"You don't need to worry, we've thought this through long and hard," Ace assured him with a smile. His grin remained, and he looked down at the table, suddenly looking bashful. Ace chuckled at it. "Besides, your family really likes me and I'm sure they'd approve."

Marco laughed. "You know, after the birthday celebration, Pops asked when I was going to marry you, so I'm sure he'd approve of you moving in with me," the actor said jovially. "It means a lot to me to have my family's approval. Thank you." Ace quirked an eyebrow.

"Thank you?" she asked.

"Yeah. For being who you are. Thank you," Marco clarified.

"You're so cheesy sometimes, Marc," Ace laughed.

"You know you love it though," he joked in response.

"I know I love _you,_" Ace said with a fond smile, losing the entertained one.

"I love you, too."

-x-

Living with Marco was easier than either of them thought it would be. The move was smooth, even if the public gathered sometimes when Marco's big family helped move Ace's things that she was bringing. Sabo and Luffy kept a lot of the movies and figurines, along with furniture in what used to be Ace's room, since she wasn't moving to an empty place, but somewhere already furnished.

She took the bean bag chair, which was the only thing Henry and Chopper didn't get along with. They fought over who got to sleep there a lot. She also took all of her books, games, and her desk. Clothes, of course, came, too. So, soon the apartment had the cozy and personal feel Ace's had and that Marco's had still been lacking.

They both cooked the meals, usually trading off for each meal or day. They still hadn't been intimate, and Marco had a feeling they wouldn't be anytime soon, which he was fine with. When Ace was comfortable was the right time, and no sooner. So, the guest bathroom became Ace's. Both of them had slept together countless times before she moved in, so snoring wasn't an issue for either of them.

The two went grocery shopping together, and after Marco really started getting into the role of his newest character, he still came home to Ace. Having her move in made going back to work a lot easier. She didn't get lonely, as she kept her promise about visiting her siblings extremely often.

After being with Ace, all aspects of Marco's life had improved. Even his physical health, as he didn't drink as much anymore, and Ace made sure for him to go to the doctor if he felt sick, which he had avoided a lot before he started going steady with Ace. Home felt homier when sharing it with someone else, something he did his best to convince Thatch and Izo of, even if it were just to get a pet.

Three weeks after Ace moved in with Marco, she decided to become more involved with the anti-bullying organization to keep her busier, since there was no Luffy she needed to care for at home. So, she abated her boredom by working a more concrete job other than her YouTube channel. Though Marco didn't see her as much on his days off, they still always saw each other when they got home from their respective jobs.

-x-

Two months after moving in, Ace was finally comfortable enough to hint at being intimate with Marco. He had been more than willing and more than understanding when she backed out on the first try, extremely embarrassed and nervous about underperforming. After all, Ace had never made love before.

Marco had never been with a virgin, as his first girlfriend hadn't been one when _he _was a virgin. So, he felt a lot of pressure to make the first time special, and if the final moment was many back-outs later, he was okay with it. He wanted things to be perfect with Ace. Marco wanted it to be perfect, but he also very much wanted it to be natural.

He didn't plan on seducing her, or making preparations a certain night to hint at trying again. When it did come, whenever that may be, then Marco would only do it if it happened smoothly. Not with Ace nervous, or feeling she had to go through with it to not disappoint Marco, who had hoped he conveyed enough times that he was fine waiting.

After many tries that didn't go too far, it finally happened after watching a very sad movie. It rung very true with what had happened to Ace. Marco hadn't known the movie ended in such a way, but had been there to comfort her, and assure her through all of her doubts about whether she was "stupid" for feeling so helpless that she attempted suicide, she had melted against him and things just happened.

It wasn't sad love-making. It was reassurance that Marco would never look down on her for her life decisions, whether it was "wrong" or not. That he'd never hold her past against her, and doubt her strength based on past weaknesses.

It hadn't been perfect, and Ace was to some degree uncomfortable, but Marco told her that the first time wasn't going to be the best. Things were new, unfamiliar, but Marco walked her through it lovingly, step by step. He knew her well enough by then to know cues of when she was overwhelmed, or when she wanted him to do something more, or something less.

No, it hadn't been perfect, but it had been natural and Ace hadn't come out of it disappointed and, thank god, didn't have any regrets. It didn't necessarily bring them closer, but it did make Ace less worrisome about her body. If it had been planned, she expressed to him that she would have been very uncomfortable with her body image.

She had been especially nervous about what Marco would think about her stretch marks, but of course, Marco barely noticed them, and didn't say anything about them even if he did notice the ones on the outside of her hips. Ace was perfect to him, her body and soul. He had been nervous about what _she _would think of _his _body, but Ace had never been with a man before, so she didn't go into it with expectations from past experiences, which had soothed Marco beforehand.

After that, taking baths together had become a regular thing to do after a stressful day, which were few and far between. It often involved Ace falling asleep until the water got cold, with Marco holding her close and appreciating anew, his large bathtub in the master bathroom. But, even after making love, they were not the most physical couple. Neither of them was bothered by this.

-x-

Eight months after moving in together, with some disagreements but never fights, Marco wanted to make the next step. He had consulted with _most _of his siblings about it, unsure of how she would react but absolutely sure of how he felt. He was worried about going too fast, and scaring her off. But his brothers and father told him that Ace and Marco were obviously soul mates, and if he felt it was the right time, then he should ask.

They also knew that, even if Ace turned him down, it would not destroy their relationship. It would just extend this phase of it.

So, Marco had gathered his courage to ask. But it didn't go as he planned. At all.

He was sitting on the couch with Ace, the ring heavy in his pocket for weeks, after they had just had pizza. Henry and Chopper were laying at their feet, both snoring and curled up together. Marco was visibly nervous all day, and in hindsight recognized he had been very transparent. His hands were shaking and he kept touching his pocket. And, on normal days, he would have been in his pyjamas by then. Not his jeans that made sure to have deep pockets.

Ace had turned to him suddenly. "Marco, should I ask you first?"

"...Huh?" Marco asked, confused before Ace gave him a knowing smile, one side of her mouth quirked higher than the other.

"About the thing in your pocket?" she hinted. Marco's face turned bright red and he looked down in embarrassment.

"H-How long have you known?" he asked in disbelief. He thought he had been good at hiding it, but he was clearly wrong. Ace cozied up next to him and reached into his pocket, taking the little velvet box out and closing his hand around it.

"A couple days, but I've been waiting for you to ask for a couple weeks," she admitted. "I guess I could have done the asking, as we're in more modern days, but I didn't want you to feel upset by not being the one to ask first. Besides, now is the perfect time to ask. With our fur babies at our feet and having just ate some really good pizza," she explained. Marco formed a grin on his face.

"Then will you marry me?" he asked, not down on his knee and not with the ring out. Ace chuckled.

"After everything I just said, you still doubt?"

"No. But I want to hear your answer."

"Yes, I will be happy to marry you. But we can't have a boring wedding." Marco grinned, opening the box and sliding the simple ring on her finger. He had always done as she wished and not bought her expensive things, but this was the exception, whether she liked it or not. And he was glad when she didn't comment on how expensive it must have been.

If Marco had ever had a mother, he would have preferred to use her ring, but he was one of the youngest of a huge family, so by then, one of his brothers would have probably already used it.

He slipped the band around her finger, and was glad it fit right. "You're gonna look so cute in a bow tie," Ace commented, instead of commenting on the ring. Marco knew she wouldn't find the ring a big detail. She probably would have been just fine with a piece of string tied around her finger, but she did hold it up and admire it, so Marco knew she didn't hate it. And he was very relieved by that.

"So, which of your fourteen brothers will be your best man?" Ace asked lightly, like they hadn't just made a very, very big decision in their lives. Marco thought for a moment.

"Thatch and Izo, since they lead me to you in the first place," Marco replied. Ace leaned against him and drifted asleep, looking at the ring and the promise it held. They would be together forever.


End file.
